According to industry insiders, TSMC has amassed a stockpile of Apple's A20 Pro chips valued at around US$1 billion, owing to a dire scarcity of DRAM. In the absence of the requisite (Here, "requisite" is used to convey the essential nature of the memory chips in a more formal and precise manner, though "matching" is also acceptable if a simpler term is preferred) memory chips, the corresponding wafers are unable to advance to the subsequent packaging phase. This situation potentially jeopardizes the timely launch of the iPhone 18 series. Earlier reports indicated that the standard variant of the iPhone 18 might be delayed until spring 2027, whereas high-end iterations like the Pro model are still slated for a September 2026 release.