Apple reportedly has around $1 billion worth of processor wafers sitting with TSMC, waiting on DRAM supply so they can be packaged into finished chips for the iPhone 18 lineup, according to Tom's Hardware, citing analyst Tim Culpan of Culpium, and TechPowerUp. Both outlets describe Apple as racing against the clock, with TechPowerUp noting less than six weeks remain before the iPhone 18 series and iPhone Ultra launch.
Both sources agree the affected chips include the A20 Pro, the first processor built on TSMC's N2 process, and that Apple primarily sources its DRAM from Micron, with SK hynix and Samsung serving as smaller, secondary suppliers. Tom's Hardware adds that Micron and other major memory makers have reportedly sold out DRAM and HBM capacity through 2027 via a wave of long-term supply agreements, tightening the market further.
The two reports differ on the specific packaging technology involved. Tom's Hardware describes the process as TSMC's Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM), which it compares to the CoWoS packaging used for larger chips but adapted for mobile parts. TechPowerUp instead describes a 3D wafer-level fan-out design called Integrated Fan-Out Package on Package (InFO-PoP), which places memory directly above the SoC die to save PCB space, and notes this packaging step alone can take up to two weeks to complete.
The reports also diverge on Apple's dealings with Chinese memory maker CXMT. Tom's Hardware says Apple has been lobbying the U.S. government for clearance to use CXMT chips as officials consider a possible ban on the supplier. TechPowerUp instead reports that Apple tried to negotiate a volume-based discount with CXMT, but that the Chinese company rejected the proposal.
Despite the packaging bottleneck, Tom's Hardware reports that Apple and its assemblers remain confident they can meet initial demand for the iPhone 18 launch, though the DRAM shortage could create pressure on shipments afterward. Apple is reportedly aiming to ship around 200 million iPhone 18 units over the device's lifespan, following the iPhone 17 line's reported total of more than 245 million units shipped in 2025.