Apple iPhone 18 Prices Expected to Rise Due to Memory Costs

Apple is poised to unveil its most expensive iPhone lineup to date, with the flagship iPhone 18 Pro model expected to see a significant price increase driven by a dramatic surge in memory component costs. The company is scheduled to hold a product launch event in California on Wednesday, September 9, where it is anticipated to announce the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable smartphone. According to a report from market research firm TrendForce, the cost of memory for the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro model is projected to be nearly 400% higher in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. This unprecedented increase in the bill of materials has made a retail price hike "increasingly unavoidable," the firm stated. While Apple has negotiated price reductions for other components, those savings are unlikely to offset the memory cost pressure. As a result, TrendForce projects that retail prices for the new iPhone lineup will rise by 10% to 20%. This would place the base configuration of the iPhone 18 Pro at approximately $1,319, compared to the $1,099 launch price of the iPhone 17 Pro.