Apple is significantly increasing its reliance on Samsung for iPhone memory as component prices surge, according to The Korea Economic Daily.


Apple is said to be expanding the share of ‌iPhone‌ memory it sources from Samsung due to rapidly rising memory prices. The shift is expected to result in Samsung supplying roughly 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM used in the iPhone 17, compared with a more even split with SK Hynix in previous generations, with Micron also participating as a smaller supplier.

The change is occurring against a backdrop of tightening supply in the global memory market. The ‌iPhone‌ relies on low-power double data rate memory (LPDDR), which is optimized for energy efficiency and thermal performance in mobile devices. While Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron all manufacture LPDDR at scale, industry sources report that SK Hynix and Micron have increasingly redirected production capacity toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is in high demand for artificial intelligence accelerators and data center hardware. As a result, their available capacity for mobile-focused LPDDR has become heavily constrained.

By contrast, Samsung has apparently maintained substantial production of general-purpose and mobile DRAM, allowing it to meet Apple's requirement for extremely large and predictable volumes. Samsung is said to be the only company that can meet Apple's conditions in a situation where SK Hynix seems to be focused on HBM.

According to the report, Apple's hardware is particularly sensitive to momentary voltage spikes, which are not well accommodated by its latest chips, including the A19 and A19 Pro. This places additional pressure on memory suppliers to deliver components that perform identically across very large production runs.

The price of a 12GB LPDDR5X module, the likes of which are used in the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, has risen sharply from around $30 at the beginning of 2025 to roughly $70 today. Apple's scale and long-standing practice of negotiating multi-year supply agreements typically provide some insulation from short-term price volatility, but the magnitude of the increase has made supplier reliability and volume commitments more important. Concentrating a much larger share of orders with Samsung should allow Apple to secure more predictable deliveries and potentially benefit from economies of scale, even as overall component costs rise.
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On this year's final episode of The MacRumors Show, we take a look back at all of Apple's major announcements and new products from 2025.


In February, Apple introduced the iPhone 16e, positioned as a replacement for the iPhone SE as a lower-cost model, starting at $599. It offers the A18 chip and a 48-megapixel camera in an ‌iPhone‌ 13-style design, but with matte back glass, a USB-C port, and no MagSafe. The device debuted Apple's custom C1 5G modem, replacing components from Qualcomm for the first time.

In March, Apple refreshed several iPads and Macs. The standard iPad was updated with the A16 chip, and noticeably still lacks Apple Intelligence support. The 11- and 13-inch iPad Air was refreshed with the M3 chip, and Apple released a redesigned Magic Keyboard for it. Apple also updated the MacBook Air with the M4 chip and introduced a new Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chip options.

At WWDC in June, Apple previewed its major software updates for the year. The biggest announcement was the introduction of Liquid Glass, an all-new design language for all of Apple's software platforms.

iOS 26 redesigned apps such as Phone and Photos, and added Live Translation with AirPods, a host of new features for Messages, and a new Games app. iPadOS 26 introduced a new, Mac-like multitasking system with windows, while macOS 26 Tahoe revamped Spotlight with a clipboard history feature and quick commands.

In September, Apple released its annual ‌iPhone‌ lineup update. The iPhone 17 features a larger display with ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz and a 48-megapixel Fusion ultra-wide camera.

The iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max tout a completely new aluminum unibody frame with a large, full-width camera plateau and vapor chamber cooling. The telephoto camera received a major upgrade to 48-megapixels, with options for 4x and 8x optical zoom.

The iPhone Air arrived as a totally new ‌iPhone‌ option, replacing the "Plus" model in the lineup. Sitting between the ‌iPhone 17‌ and the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌, the ‌iPhone Air‌ has a radically thin design with a polished titanium frame, and uses Apple's custom C1X and N1 connectivity chips. The device only has one rear camera, a single speaker, and supports eSIM only.

All of the new iPhones feature an A19 or A19 Pro chip, Ceramic Shield 2, a 18-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera with a square sensor, and new color options. Apple also released updated charging and accessory products, including a new ‌MagSafe‌ battery designed specifically for the ‌iPhone Air‌, TechWoven cases, and crossbody straps.

Apple refreshed its wearable and audio lineups in the same month. Apple Watch SE was updated with the S10 chip and an always-on display. The aluminum Apple Watch Series 11 gained stronger front glass and a slightly bigger battery, while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 gains satellite connectivity for the first time. Cellular models of the new Apple Watches feature 5G connectivity.

Apple also released the third generation of AirPods Pro, with improved active noise cancellation, a more refined design with ear tips that include foam, and heart-rate sensing.

In October, Apple updated the iPad Pro, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro with the M5 chip. The new Vision Pro also gained a new dual knit headband, promising improved comfort, along with better battery life, higher-refresh rate displays, more rendered pixels.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips in 2026.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about Apple's plans to refresh the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR.
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Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

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Australia has granted approval for Apple to enable its Apple Watch hypertension notification feature in the country, Information Age reports.


The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia's medical device regulator, has approved Apple's hypertension notification feature for use on Apple Watch, formally listing the software as a medical device on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods earlier this month.

Apple announced hypertension detection in September. The feature is designed to identify patterns associated with elevated blood pressure rather than directly measuring blood pressure itself. It uses data collected by the optical heart sensor on the back of supported Apple Watch models to analyze how blood vessels respond to heartbeats over rolling 30 day periods. If the system detects consistent indicators associated with possible hypertension, the user receives a notification advising follow-up using conventional blood pressure measurement methods.

The system is intended for adults aged 22 and older who are not pregnant and who have not previously been diagnosed with hypertension. It requires an Apple Watch Series 9 or later or an Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later running watchOS 26, paired with an iPhone 11 or later running the latest version of iOS.

Apple can now legally activate the feature for Australian users, although the company has not yet confirmed when it will become available. In previous cases involving regulated health features, Apple has enabled functionality either through a subsequent software update or by remotely activating the feature once regulatory clearance has been obtained. Hypertension notifications have already rolled out in more than 150 countries.
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Today marks nine years since Apple launched the original AirPods. Unveiled in September 2016 alongside the iPhone 7, the wireless headphones became available on December 19, 2016, following a slight delay.


At the time, wireless headphones were already on the market but had not yet reached true mass popularity. AirPods helped redefine the category through their convenience and seamless integration with Apple devices. Apple's Phil Schiller at the time:

AirPods are the first headphones to deliver a breakthrough wireless audio experience, and with the new Apple W1 chip they deliver innovative features including high quality sound, great battery life and automatic setup. AirPods are simple and magical to use, with no switches or buttons, automatically connecting to all your Apple devices simply and seamlessly, and letting you access Siri with just a double tap. We can't wait for users to try them with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2.

Priced at $159, the first-generation AirPods introduced key features such as one-tap pairing with Apple devices and in-ear detection for automatic play-pause functionality. Powered by Apple's custom W1 chip, they delivered enhanced audio quality compared to wired EarPods and set a new standard for battery life in a compact, completely wireless design.


AirPods were initially met with skepticism following their unveiling, with much of the reaction focused on their unconventional stem-based design and the removal of the headphone jack on the ‌iPhone‌ 7. The earbuds were widely mocked online and compared to wired EarPods with the cables cut off, while some critics questioned their practicality and battery life. However, early reviews and real-world use quickly shifted perceptions, as the convenience of automatic pairing, reliable wireless performance, and all-day battery life made AirPods increasingly popular among ‌iPhone‌ users.

AirPods quickly grew into one of Apple's most successful accessories, helping to normalize truly wireless earbuds and accelerating the decline of the traditional headphone jack across the industry. While Apple does not disclose sales figures, analysts estimate that tens of millions of units are sold each year, making AirPods the best-selling wireless earbuds globally and a major contributor to Apple's wearables revenue.


Since their debut, AirPods have evolved with the release of second-, third-, and fourth-generation models in March 2019, October 2021, and September 2024. These updates brought improvements such as better audio quality, longer battery life, hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality, a wireless charging case, and, most recently, active noise cancellation. A fifth-generation is believed to be in the works. The product line has also expanded with the premium AirPods Pro, featuring an in-ear design and active noise cancellation, in October 2019, and the over-ear AirPods Max in December 2020.
This article, "AirPods Now Closing in on a Decade" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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