New figures from Counterpoint Research estimate that the bill of materials (BOM) for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max could rise nearly US$300 compared with the iPhone 17 Pro Max released in September last year. Ballooning memory costs largely account for this increase, although Apple may be better placed than most other smartphone brands to weather such price hikes.
Shipments of smartwatches with edge AI features leaped 70% in the first quarter of 2026, with Apple overwhelmingly leading the charge, according to Counterpoint Research. This market is taking off as health-focused users gain access to deeper insights through AI advancements, and as brands lean on wearables to offset weak smartphone sales.
The quiet death of a display program says more about where Apple is heading than any product launch: the company's ambition to sell an affordable, lightweight successor to the Vision Pro is dissolving into the supply chain, as a key panel effort is shelved and Apple's mixed-reality talent migrates toward AI-powered smart glasses.
LG Electronics reported higher revenue and operating profit for the second quarter of 2026, supported by strong year-over-year growth even as earnings eased slightly from the previous quarter.
Apple's recent price increases for Mac and iPad products are rapidly spilling into the used-device market, as consumers turn to refurbished and secondhand channels to fight inflation. Data from Chinese secondhand trading platforms show that some MacBook models have risen by nearly CNY1,000 (US$147.29) within just 10 days, signaling a new round of price swings in the end-user market.
The rapid expansion of AI applications is redefining what device makers need from display technology.
Apple is reportedly planning to launch at least five new models by this time next year, with the company expanding its foldables' production. Amid surging component prices and a weakening smartphone market, these moves may be a bid to gain market share while rivals are on the back foot.
Taiwanese power management IC (PMIC) design houses have been expanding into new applications and broadening their product portfolios in recent years, aiming to move beyond consumer electronics into higher-spec, more stable markets as the AI boom accelerates.
Large-size display driver ICs (DDIs) were a key revenue driver for many DDI suppliers during the first half of 2026. Taiwanese manufacturers said early notebook inventory build-up beginning in the first quarter of 2026, together with television restocking ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, allowed large-size DDI shipments to outperform the traditional seasonal slowdown.
Memory suppliers are renegotiating high-bandwidth memory contracts, and PC brands say price increases may slow later this year. For global buyers, that relief could be short-lived, as supply-chain sources warn that shortages tied to artificial intelligence demand are likely to keep memory markets tight through 2027.
