Apple joins Samsung in production cuts, will make fewer iPhone 18 units

Rising memory chip prices have caused the prices of smartphones and other consumer electronics to rise. This has led to a demand slowdown, with companies now have to reduce production as they no longer expect to sell as many phones.

Just days after it emerged that Samsung is cutting smartphone production, a new report claims that Apple will now also make fewer units of its latest flagship iPhone 18 phones.

Nikkei Asia reports today that Apple has informed some of its suppliers to reduce production of components used in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Component orders for October have reportedly been cut by at least 15% from the original request.

Expensive memory chips and price increases for the end customer have reduced demand, which is why Apple now needs to cut production. The new iPhones are $100 more expensive than the models they've replaced.

Samsung is also reportedly making a significant production cut. The company is expected to cut its output for the fourth quarter of 2026 by as much as 30%. It was previously projected to make 270 million phones for the entire year, but the latest projections suggest that it may only make 200 million phones in 2026.

It doesn't look like there's an end in sight for these difficult market conditions, as memory chip prices show no signs of reducing. Until and unless there's some stability in that market, phone makers will continue to struggle.