Until recently, many consumers and analysts hoped that Apple would be able to absorb price increases in the tech market, keeping prices stable for the next generation of smartphones.
This hope has been officially refuted by Tim Cook. In a recent exclusive interview given to the Wall Street Journal, the outgoing CEO clarified that price increases are now inevitable.
The company has tried as long as possible to shield its customers, but rising costs passed on by suppliers have made the situation completely unsustainable. Although Cook did not explicitly mention the iPhone 18, it is evident that the new series, as well as potentially the next iPads, will bear the consequences of this economic dynamic.
Apple is not immune to price increases, the iPhone 18 will cost more
The main reason behind this forced price hike lies in a serious memory supply crisis. The enormous demand generated by AI-focused companies has drained chip stocks, posing difficulties even for a giant known for its impeccable supply chain management.
Cook underlined how the tight availability of components, together with the enormous demand from the public, is forcing memory manufacturers to apply decidedly higher tariffs. To return to a normal situation, it will be strictly necessary for the prices and supplies of these essential elements to stabilise again at manageable levels for the mass market.
Historically, the Californian company has always used various memory configurations as a commercial lever, but implementing the new advanced features will require a RAM amount substantially higher. Currently, the iPhone 17 Pro with 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM has a price of €1,339. By autumn, the costs of individual components could quadruple.
It is estimated that RAM spending could rise from the current $39 to as much as $145 for the iPhone 18 Pro, while storage modules could jump from $13 to $51 for the base model. Consequently, the total cost for parts and assembly, which today is around $530, could rise by 25%, reaching $726.
Technical specifications and consumer choices
To maintain a profit margin close to 47%, the price of the next Pro model could jump to $1,371 in the USA, surpassing €1,500 in Italy. However, given the company’s tendency for standardized pricing, it is likely that the device will launch at $1,299, or $1,399 if a significantly more expensive camera system than in the past were included.
The iPhone 18 Pro will boast the new processor A20 Pro built with 2 nm technology, improved cameras and a reduced Dynamic Island, but these hardware specifications alone might not be enough to convince users to spend such high amounts.
The real push to purchase will come from the advanced features of the new virtual assistant Siri, which will require strictly 12 GB of RAM to operate optimally, but which for now will not arrive in Italy.
