According to analysis published in the Wall Street Journal, iPhone 18 Pro may become one of the most expensive iPhones ever as Apple faces increasing pressure on component costs.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that the prices of the company's products will be affected by the sharp increase in memory chip costs. However, he said Apple is still assessing the level of impact before announcing the official selling price.
The main reason comes from the global shortage of DRAM and NAND flash memory. AI data centers are consuming large amounts of memory chips, causing the supply for consumer electronics to shrink.
According to TechInsights estimates quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the price of DRAM on iPhone 18 Pro may increase from about 39 USD to 145 USD. Meanwhile, the cost of 256GB flash memory is forecast to increase from 13 USD to 51 USD.
The total component and production cost of the iPhone 18 Pro could therefore increase by about 25%, from $582 on the iPhone 17 Pro to about $726.
If Apple wants to maintain a profit margin equivalent to the previous generation, the selling price of iPhone 18 Pro could be up to about $1,371 USD. The Wall Street Journal predicts that Apple is likely to choose the psychological price tag of $1,299 USD. However, when adding the cost for the new camera system, a starting price of $1,399 USD or higher is entirely possible.
Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously also said that the new camera system on the iPhone 18 Pro will be about 50% more expensive than the current generation.
If the forecast becomes reality, the iPhone 18 Pro will be 200 to 300 USD more expensive than the starting price of 1,099 USD of the iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone 18 Pro Max version is expected to continue to be about 100 USD higher.
The iPhone 18 Pro line is expected to be launched in September 2026 with Apple's first folding screen iPhone model, often called "iPhone Ultra" by technology circles, with a rumored price of about 2,000 USD.
