IPhone 18 Pro Could Cost $200 More Due to Memory Crisis
What You Need to Know
- IPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could cost up to $200 more than current models due to memory supply crisis.
- Global memory costs driven by AI infrastructure demand are pushing Apple to pass component expenses directly to consumers.
- IPhone 18 Pro expected to start at $1,249-$1,299; Pro Max at $1,349-$1,399.
- Apple’s foldable iPhone anticipated to launch around $2,500, with higher storage options approaching $3,000.
The price increase Apple was expected to apply to its next Pro iPhones may be twice as large as analysts initially thought. IDC now estimates the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could cost up to $200 more than current models, a revision driven by what the firm describes as an ongoing global memory supply crisis.
The original expectation was a $100 increase on Pro models and $50 on base models. That estimate shifted after Apple raised Mac and iPad prices by as much as $300, which IDC Senior Director of Data & Analytics Nabila Popal cited as a signal that the company is willing to pass rising component costs directly to buyers. Both Pro models are expected to feature 12GB of RAM, and other Mac models have seen similar jumps as memory costs tied to AI infrastructure demand push up production expenses across the board.
What buyers could actually pay
Under IDC’s revised forecast, the iPhone 18 Pro would start between $1,249 and $1,299. The Pro Max would open at $1,349 to $1,399. The margin math on Pro models already leans heavily on memory configurations, and a 12GB baseline makes that calculus harder to hide in the pricing structure.
IDC also expects Apple’s foldable iPhone to launch around $2,500, with higher storage options approaching $3,000. The firm suggests that anchor price could make the Pro lineup feel comparatively reasonable, a framing Apple has used before when introducing a new product tier.
On the demand side, IDC expects the price increase to land softer than the numbers suggest. A large share of iPhone users are still on older hardware without the capability to run new Siri AI features, creating upgrade pressure that may absorb sticker shock. Monthly installment plans, which spread a $200 increase across 24 or 36 months, further soften the visible cost at point of purchase.
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