Apple plans to equip its first foldable iPhone with 12GB of RAM supplied by Samsung, a move that reflects the growing demand for high performance memory in premium smartphones. The company continues to prepare its supply chain for the upcoming device, and memory plays a key role because a foldable design requires stronger multitasking support, smoother app switching, and stable performance across a much larger display area.
Samsung will begin shipping LPDDR5X DRAM modules in the second quarter of this year to match Apple’s production schedule. Apple often works with multiple memory suppliers, but current market conditions have pushed the company to rely more heavily on Samsung for the early stages of production. This approach helps Apple secure consistent deliveries while the global memory market experiences price pressure due to strong demand from AI data centers and high performance servers.
According to The Bell, Samsung negotiated a significantly higher price for the memory modules compared with previous contracts. Industry reports show that the price of a 12GB LPDDR5X module has climbed from around $30 at the start of 2025 to nearly $70 this year as supply tightens across the memory market.
Samsung’s Role in Foldable iPhone Supply
Apple still plans to include other suppliers such as SK hynix and Micron in the foldable iPhone supply chain. However, these vendors will likely join the production cycle later, while Samsung takes the lead during the early phase because it currently has the strongest DRAM production capacity.
The foldable iPhone is expected to follow a book-style design that opens into a screen close to the size of an iPad mini. When closed, the device will look similar to a traditional iPhone, but opening the display will provide a wider workspace that supports multitasking and media consumption. Reports suggest Apple will use a wider format with a 4:3 aspect ratio rather than the tall folding screens used by several competitors.
Apple plans to introduce the foldable iPhone in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Early forecasts suggest shipment volumes will remain limited during the first year as Apple tests the new category before expanding production in later generations.
