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According to industry sources on the 9th, Apple increased its display panel inventory holding period from 4 weeks to 6 weeks starting in the second quarter.
A person familiar with the matter said, "Recently, raw material prices have been rising rapidly, and memory semiconductor price increases are also putting pressure on prices for other components," adding that "Apple increased its OLED panel inventory to stabilize prices."
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The second quarter is traditionally a slow season for Apple's supply chain. Since Apple launches new iPhone models every September, it is inevitable that component orders will decrease significantly in the second quarter.
However, this year, demand for the iPhone 17 series has been strong, and with the increase in component inventory holding periods, panel orders have also been high, according to reports. Market research firm Counterpoint Research said Apple's global smartphone shipments increased by 13% compared to the same period last year.
Apple's increase in panel inventory holding periods is aimed at stabilizing component prices. In June, Apple announced price increases for some products such as MacBooks and iPads. The industry expects price changes for products such as iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods to be inevitable.
This is due to the rising manufacturing costs caused by chipflation. Apple is reportedly trying to pass on cost burdens through price pressure on OLED panels and other components.
However, rather than simply pressuring prices down, Apple is adopting a compromise approach by increasing its component inventory holding period and ordering larger quantities, according to analysis. This is because the price of raw materials for OLED panels continues to rise, making it impossible to arbitrarily lower prices. Increasing inventory has the effect of securing quantities in advance, which can also help stabilize costs.
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A display industry official said, "Since chipflation is not a problem that will be resolved in the short term, the expansion of inventory holding periods is likely to be a long-term policy rather than a temporary change," adding that "the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which will be launched next month, are also expected to see an increase in inventory holding periods, leading to an expected increase in supply from Korean panel manufacturers."
▶ Source: https://www.etnews.com/20260807000275
