Will Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Series Become the 'Most Expensive Ever'? Price Hike of $300 Reported

GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu has released a report predicting that the launch price of the iPhone 18 Pro series could increase by $250 to $300 compared to the previous generation. This price hike is primarily attributed to rising costs of memory, storage chips, and advanced manufacturing processes, exceeding earlier market expectations and potentially suppressing consumer upgrade intentions.

The next-generation iPhone 18 Pro series from Apple is expected to see a significant price increase. According to this forecast, the starting price for the iPhone 18 Pro could rise to $1,399, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max might start at $1,499. In contrast, earlier market rumors suggested price increases within 10%, making Pu’s estimate notably more aggressive.

This potential price surge is mainly linked to rising component costs.

In addition to higher prices for random access memory (RAM) and NAND flash memory, the iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to feature the A20 series chip, likely using TSMC’s (TSM-US) 2-nanometer process, further driving up chip costs.

Pu notes that Apple’s recent financial reports show the iPhone remains a key revenue growth engine for the company. However, if high-end models increase by hundreds of dollars at once, it could weaken market demand, especially as consumer upgrade cycles continue to lengthen and price sensitivity is expected to rise.

Other research firms also anticipate a price increase for the new model, but with more conservative estimates.

Counterpoint Research analysts estimate the average selling price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max could rise by about $200 compared to the previous generation—still below Pu’s maximum forecast of $300.

Recent price adjustments by Apple on other products also provide market context. Due to rising memory and storage costs, Apple has already increased prices for select Mac, iPad, and other products. For example, the 11-inch iPad Pro price rose by $100 to $1,099, while the 13-inch version increased by $200 to $1,499, representing a roughly 15% increase.

If the iPhone 18 Pro Max ultimately increases by $300, depending on storage capacity, the price hike could approach 25%—significantly higher than the price adjustments seen in some iPad Pro models.

This implies Apple may face the difficult challenge of balancing profit margin maintenance with sustaining demand for its high-end smartphones.

To mitigate the pressure from rising component prices, Apple is reportedly asking panel suppliers to lower their quotes, aiming to offset the increased costs of RAM and NAND by reducing procurement costs for other components.

However, these prices remain at the analyst speculation stage, and Apple has not yet announced the official pricing for the iPhone 18 Pro series. Pu’s past predictions have not been entirely accurate, so while the likelihood of a price increase has risen, whether it will reach $250 to $300 remains to be revealed at Apple’s official launch event.