Apple Price Hikes Expected for iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone: Report
The iPhone 18 Pro and Apple's first foldable iPhone are expected to launch with significant price hikes due to soaring memory and component costs. Analysts suggest the foldable model could exceed $2,000, while the Pro Max could start between $1,300 and $1,400 to maintain profit margins.
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup and its highly anticipated first foldable iPhone are expected to launch at prices higher than previously projected. Industry sources suggest that rising component costs, particularly for advanced memory and camera systems, have forced a reassessment of the retail pricing strategy for this year's flagship hardware.
As per a report by MacRumors, leakers on Weibo have indicated that the iPhone 18 Pro series will see a definitive price increase this September. Furthermore, the foldable iPhone could potentially be priced 10% to 20% higher than earlier estimates, which already placed the device well above the USD 2,000 threshold. Apple Hints at Future Price Rises Following Recent Hikes: Report.
Escalating Component Costs
The projected price jumps are largely attributed to the surging cost of internal components. Research firm TechInsights estimates that the cost of DRAM alone could climb significantly, potentially increasing the total bill of materials for the iPhone 18 Pro by approximately 25%. When combined with upgrades to the camera system, analysts suggest a starting price of USDÂ 1,399 or higher may be required for Apple to maintain its traditional profit margins.
Historical pricing patterns suggest that these increases will likely be reflected in international markets. In China, for instance, starting prices could climb by 11% to 20%, a trend that would mirror proportional adjustments for the U.S. market, potentially placing the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro Max in the USDÂ 1,300 to USD 1,400 range.
A Shift in Apple’s Pricing Strategy
These rumours follow a broader round of price increases implemented by Apple this week across its Mac, iPad, and Vision Pro product lines. While the current iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch models remained untouched, the trend toward higher costs marks a notable shift for the company, which has historically preferred to absorb component cost fluctuations. Apple MacBook, Apple iPad Prices Hiked Amid Memory Shortage.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently described the current supply chain environment as a "hundred-year flood," citing the extreme cost of memory and storage chips. While the company has previously shielded consumers from such economic pressures, the latest data suggests that maintaining current price points for the next generation of high-end mobile hardware has become unsustainable.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 26, 2026 11:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
