With Apple’s iPhone event less than a week away, a new supply-chain forecast points to higher prices for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
Apple could raise iPhone 18 Pro prices by as much as $200, according to a new supply-chain analysis
The iPhone 18 Pro could start between $1,249 and $1,299, up from the iPhone 17 Pro’s $1,099 launch price.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max could cost between $1,349 and $1,399, compared with $1,199 for its predecessor.
That would mean increases of roughly $150 to $200 per model, or about 14% to 18%, within the firm’s broader forecast of 10% to 20%.
Memory Costs Are Driving the Increases
Memory is the main reason for the projected price increases. The cost of a 256GB memory chip has risen nearly 400% year over year, while the estimated bill of materials for a 256GB Pro model is about 38% higher than it was at the same point last year.
The increase is largely tied to AI infrastructure, which is driving demand for high-capacity memory across the electronics industry. Smartphone makers are now competing for the same limited supply.
Apple is not expected to pass the entire increase on to buyers. Some of the added component costs could instead be absorbed through lower margins, although the exact impact won’t be clear until Apple announces its prices.
Apple kept the iPhone 17 Pro Max at $1,199 last year and raised the iPhone 17 Pro by $100 in the U.S. Memory prices are not expected to ease in the near term, which could make another round of relatively modest increases harder to repeat.
iPhone Ultra Pricing Could Top $3,000
Apple’s first foldable iPhone, expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, could be considerably more expensive.
The starting price is estimated at $2,099 to $2,299, with the highest-capacity model potentially exceeding $3,000.
The standard iPhone 18 is not expected at September’s event. It is reportedly planned for spring 2027, with the same 10% to 20% price increase potentially applying at that time.
Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, when the company is expected to reveal the final pricing.
