The upcoming iPhone 18 series could mark a major iPhone 18 price hike. It may become Apple’s most expensive lineup yet. New estimates suggest the iPhone 18 Pro could start at $1,299. The price may even climb to $1,399, depending on its final hardware.
For comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro with 256GB storage started at $1,099 last year. Therefore, buyers could be looking at a $200 increase. In some cases, it could even reach $300. This comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said price increases are unavoidable. He pointed to the ongoing memory shortage, which has pushed memory costs sharply higher. Apple has not confirmed new pricing for the iPhone 18 lineup. However, a report from The Wall Street Journal offers an early look. It cites estimates from research firm TechInsights on how production costs have shifted.
Cost Breakdown
According to TechInsights, the 12GB DRAM used in the iPhone 17 Pro cost Apple around $39 last year. For the iPhone 18 Pro with 256GB storage, that same memory now reportedly costs $145. Storage prices have also risen sharply. The 256GB chip has climbed from $13 to about $51.
These increases have pushed Apple’s estimated manufacturing cost for the base iPhone 18 Pro to $726. This compares to around $582 for the base iPhone 17 Pro. The jump marks a substantial rise in production expenses.
New Prices
TechInsights estimates Apple earned a 47% gross profit margin on the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro. That model launched at $1,099 in the US. Maintaining the same margin would require Apple to price the iPhone 18 Pro at roughly $1,371. However, after typical pricing adjustments, the report estimates a launch price closer to $1,299. That would put the gross margin around 44%.
This iPhone 18 price hike could climb even further. Rumors suggest the iPhone 18 Pro will feature a new variable-aperture camera system. This could cost Apple at least 50% more than current camera hardware. If accurate, the base iPhone 18 Pro could start around $1,399. Consequently, a higher starting price for the Pro model would likely push the iPhone 18 Pro Max to $1,499.
What About Pakistan?
If Apple raises prices globally, buyers in Pakistan should also expect to pay more. Apple has no official retail or manufacturing presence in the country. So, it cannot offer regional pricing or cut costs through local assembly. As a result, international price increases usually pass directly onto Pakistani consumers. These costs layer on top of import duties and local taxes.
Finally, Pakistani buyers may face one of the steepest relative cost increases globally. This is largely due to added taxes and duties stacked on top of Apple’s higher base prices.
