Apple CEO Tim Cook has indicated that the company may need to increase prices on some of its products due to a persistent memory shortage driving up costs. A recent report from The Wall Street Journal and research firm TechInsights has estimated the price of the forthcoming iPhone 18 Pro.
According to TechInsights, the cost of 12GB DRAM used in the iPhone 17 Pro was $39 last year. In contrast, the same RAM configuration in the base model of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, set to feature 256GB of storage, could cost Apple approximately $145. Similarly, the 256GB storage component, which previously cost Apple $13, may now rise to around $51.
While the production cost for the iPhone 17 Pro is estimated at $582, the iPhone 18 Pro is projected to cost about $726 to produce.
Apple iPhone 17 ProTechInsights also reported that Apple had a profit margin of 47% on the iPhone 17 Pro with 256GB of storage, which was priced at $1,099 in the U.S. If Apple maintains the same profit margin for the iPhone 18 Pro, the device would need to be priced at $1,371. After adjusting for standard pricing strategies, the base iPhone 18 Pro could potentially retail for $1,299, resulting in a 44% gross profit.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 900.00 | € 1,082.61 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | $ 1,117.35 | € 1,229.00 |
| Show all prices |
Additionally, rumors suggest that the iPhone 18 Pro will feature a new camera system with a variable-aperture lens, which could increase production costs by at least 50%. If these factors are considered, the base model iPhone 18 Pro might launch at around $1,399.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 957.17 | € 1,176.00 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | $ 1,159.45 | € 1,389.00 |
| Show all prices |
Ultimately, this implies that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will also see a price increase over the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with an anticipated starting price of $1,199.
