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.
A public spat between Xiaomi and Huawei over large models has exposed growing anxiety in China's phone AI market this year, while Apple, Google, and Samsung Electronics pursue different routes to seize the AI agent entry point.
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.
Despite rising concerns over memory price hikes, Apple's PCB supply chain has seen little change to the company's 2026 order pull-in schedule as of the second quarter, according to people familiar with the PCB industry.
Chinese smartphone camera lens suppliers expect global handset shipments to remain under pressure through 2027, even as Apple prepares new devices.
Apple's next iPhone Pro lineup could be heading toward one of its sharpest pricing tests in years, as surging memory costs threaten to raise hardware expenses just as the company pushes deeper into on-device AI.
Apple's latest round of price increases for Macs, MacBooks, and iPads has unsettled investors and weighed on Asian technology markets, but the reaction may be disproportionate to the likely impact on demand. While higher prices will inevitably slow some purchases, Apple's premium positioning, loyal customer base, and selective pricing strategy suggest the broader implications for shipments and the supply chain are likely to remain manageable.
Optical film and nano-coating materials developer Victory For Technology (VFT) is focusing on three key areas — AI and semiconductor processes, foldable displays, and key new-energy materials — as it deepens R&D and product deployment to capture emerging opportunities in the global supply chain.
AI-driven memory price spikes are presenting a challenge for Samsung's smartphone business, with rising component prices eroding the affordability of its budget phones. At the same time, Samsung is seeking to use its new AI features to encourage new device purchases as memory prices dampen smartphone sales globally.
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone appears to be moving closer to reality, with reports from multiple Chinese media outlets suggesting that parts of the supply chain have already begun small-volume shipments ahead of a planned launch next year later this year.
