Apple appears quite confident in the standard iPhone 18, with reports indicating it is preparing a large stockpile and plans to begin production next month.
Fixed Focus Digital revealed on the Weibo platform that inventory levels in the supply chain indicate Apple is accumulating a substantial stock of the standard iPhone 18 ahead of production starting in November, with an official launch expected in early 2027.
On one hand, this suggests Apple is placing large parts orders with suppliers well in advance to prepare for production and to stock up for initial demand when the new product launches.
However, on the other hand, the current large order volume is not the whole picture, as Apple’s production approach over the past decades typically involves multiple suppliers for each component to negotiate better prices and avoid dependency on any single manufacturer.
Therefore, the data from Fixed Focus Digital may represent orders from only one supplier receiving special large orders now, though Fixed Focus Digital’s past information has been fairly accurate.
At the product launch in September, Apple broke its usual pattern by splitting the iPhone launch into two phases: releasing the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max first, then the standard model the following year, for two main reasons.
First, this helps manage memory shortages, ensuring Apple has enough parts for the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Duo models.
Second, the iPhone Duo is Apple’s first folding-screen smartphone with a highly complex manufacturing process, requiring significant production focus. Although sales may not be very high due to its premium price, delaying the standard iPhone 18 launch eases the production burden on Apple’s long-term manufacturing partners.