Samsung will supply 12GB of RAM for Apple's debut iPhone Fold, the company's first foldable smartphone, with shipments kicking off in the current quarter to match production timelines ahead of a September launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Whispers of an Apple foldable have swirled for years, but concrete supply chain details only surfaced recently through Korea's The Bell, highlighting how AI-driven demand has upended memory markets. Prices for the 12GB LPDDR5X modules already fitted in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro have doubled from $30 early last year to $70 now, forcing Apple to rethink its sourcing playbook. Samsung capitalised on the crunch, securing fatter margins than past deals, a rare win against Apple's famously tough bargaining.
