Rumors that the vanilla iPhone 18 won’t launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo were circulating months before the phones’ premiere, but the reason for this decision was never clear. While it would make sense to blame it on the continuing memory price crisis and supply chain issues, the real cause could be Samsung.
The iPhone 18 delay may be because of Samsung
Samsung could be one of the main reasons for the delayed launch of the vanilla iPhone 18. According to a report (source in Japanese) from Japanese publication Semiconportal, Apple delayed the launch of the base model in the iPhone 18 series to give time to Samsung to manufacture enough camera sensors for the device.
Samsung is said to have started prototyping new high-performance camera sensors for the iPhone in the spring, with mass production planned for the fall. With this timeline, Apple was forced to delay its launch, so it could build up a sufficient supply of Samsung sensors.
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It’s part of Apple’s plans to move more production to the US
The iPhone 17 used a Sony sensor. | Image by PhoneArena
All this is part of Apple’s plans to move a larger part of its manufacturing to the US. Last year, the company announced a $100 billion investment into US-based manufacturing, which included the development of an innovative new technology for making chips at a US facility with Samsung.
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While neither of the companies has confirmed it officially, multiple reports claimed this was related to new image sensors meant for future iPhones. It is also unclear what the exact technical specifications of the new chips are.
What’s now official is that Apple won’t rely exclusively on Sony for the image sensors it uses in its products. During its latest earnings briefing on November 5, Sony has confirmed that it won’t be the exclusive image sensor supplier for Apple anymore. Lin Tao, the Chief Financial Officer of Sony, said in a statement that “it must be assumed that customers will procure from multiple companies as a normal business practice.”
Could this move make the iPhone 18 cheaper?
With Samsung joining Sony as a second camera sensor supplier for the iPhone, Apple may achieve two important goals. One is that it is bringing at least some part of the iPhone manufacturing to the US.
Then there’s the price competition, which may follow this decision. This could help Apple lower the manufacturing costs for its future smartphones. However, this is unlikely to affect the price of the iPhone 18, as the main issue in the industry is the cost of memory.
Though this move could have a significant impact on the performance of the iPhone 18 camera, it appears not to be such a big deal for many people online. On Reddit, many users were quick to point out that Apple already uses other components made by Samsung, including the displays. However, some expect the Samsung sensors to perform better on an iPhone than on a Galaxy phone.
People have high expectations for the iPhone 18 camera. | Image by Reddit (screenshot
Funnily enough, Samsung itself has been rumored to switch to Sony sensors for some of its devices. A report from earlier this year claimed that the vanilla Galaxy S27 and the Galaxy S27 Plus will use a new 50MP camera sensor made by Sony, instead of the 50MP ISOCELL sensor of their predecessors.
It’s about more than just a sensor
While I’m always eager to get the biggest sensor possible, with the highest quality available, this alone doesn’t secure great photos. For the iPhone 18 camera to offer great performance, Apple needs to provide great image processing and add some software magic. We can only hope this will be the case and that we won’t get a disappointing first-gen product.
Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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