Apple Orders Samsung’s 12GB LPDDR5X RAM For The iPhone Fold At 2x Last Year’s Price Rohail Saleem • at EDT Add on Google Apple's current pre-production cadence for the iPhone Fold equates to an annual shipment volume that is less than 5 percent of the typical iPhone sales in a given year // Image Source: Techtics Apple's pre-launch production cadence for the iPhone Fold is gaining steam, as evidenced by its recent order for Samsung's 12GB LPDDR5X RAM in volume, albeit at a hefty price. Apple secures the requisite 12GB LPDDR5X RAM for the iPhone Fold at a competitive price, which still equates to a year-over-year memory-based cost inflation of around 2x According to the South Korean publication 'the bell,' Apple has placed volume orders for the 12GB LPDDR5X memory chips with Samsung. Even so, given the ultra high-end status of the upcoming iPhone Fold, Apple's current pre-production cadence equates to an annual shipment volume that is less than 5 percent of the typical iPhone sales in a given year. Related Story MacBook Neo 2 Won’t Be On Equal Footing With Chromebooks When Comparing One Feature, Which An Analyst Says Was Supposed To ArriveFor context, do note that Apple shipped 247 million iPhones in 2025. This means that the Cupertino giant expects the iPhone Fold to clinch annual sales of less than 12 million units. Interestingly, Apple has managed to secure the 12GB LPDDR5X memory chips from Samsung at a very competitive price vis-à-vis other OEMs. Even so, the contracted price still equates to a 2x year-over-year memory-based cost inflation. Also, do note that Apple is securing DRAM for the iPhone Fold from other memory vendors as well, especially SK hynix and Micron, in a bid to improve its negotiation position. Even so, Samsung is still expected to supply the lion's share of the iPhone Fold's LPDDR5X chips. This comes as we reported recently that Apple appears to have ordered a 20 percent hike in the targeted initial inventory of the iPhone Fold, benefitting Foxconn in its capacity as the device's primary assembler. Bear in mind Apple has revised the design of the iPhone Fold over 10 times in the past five years or so. What's more, with the device all set for a debut in the fall of 2026, the production of its key components is now expected to ramp up from the end of the second quarter. As per previous reports, the Apple iPhone Fold will reportedly feature a 'liquid metal' hinge and a titanium body, with the combo offering improved strength and weight distribution. The iPhone Fold is expected to feature a passport-style, wide form factor, with its primary panel measuring ~7.7 inches, and the cover display measuring ~5.4 inches. It will also sport a near-creaseless design, with the Economic Times detailing today that the depth of the crease would be a minuscule 0.15mm. This would likely require a copious use of the Ultra-thin Flexible Glass (UFG) tech that Apple is said to have tested extensively, as well as a modified hinge mechanism. Apple is also reportedly planning to apply a color filter - called the COE or Color Filter on Encapsulation - onto the protective encapsulation layer of the iPhone Fold's OLED panel, rendering the resulting displays lighter and much more efficient. Other details include: A dedicated vapor chamber. A 2,713 x 1,920 resolution, with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Side-mounted Touch ID instead of Face ID. A20 Pro SoC, a 12GB RAM, in-house C2 5G modem. A 48MP resolution for the rear dual-camera setup. An in-display camera with a resolution of up to 24MP. A battery with a capacity of 5,400-5,800mAh. To launch as an eSIM-only variant. Projected price of around $2,399. Projected shipments in the first year of between 7 million and 9 million units. Follow on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds. Further Reading iPhone 18 Pro Isn’t Getting In-Screen Face ID As Apple Is Rumored To Have Delayed This Design, But These Three Major Upgrades Will Get You Really Excited MacBook Neo SSD Speeds Might Play A Big Part In Making Or Breaking Your Purchase iPhone 17e Review Roundup Are Giving Full Marks To The A19 Chipset Upgrade & MagSafe Charging, But Believe The iPhone 17 Is A Better Choice Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Is Insanely Fast As A Standalone Chip, But Compared With The M5 Pro & M5 Max, It Might As Well Be A Whole Generation Behind Read all on Apple Orders Samsung’s 12GB LPDDR5X RAM For The iPhone Fold At 2x Last Year’s Price
