Rumored pricing for base iPhone 18 Pro and Phone 18 Pro Max models is shocking
Remember, there is a memory chip shortage that has driven prices of this key component higher.
Apple might surprise you with its iPhone 18 Pro pricing. | Image by PhoneArena
I asked my Magic 8-ball if Apple will raise pricing of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series. The answer floated at me from the see-through bottom of the toy: "Signs point to Yes." Well, what could it say with memory chip prices soaring and iPhone 17 sales setting a record for any March quarter in the smartphone's history?
Apple plans to be "aggressive" with pricing for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
You might remember from Econ 101 that rising demand amid flat supply equals higher prices. But it seems that Apple employees manning (and femaling, to coin a phrase) the C-Suite in Cupertino aren't planning to hike the prices on the iPhone 18 Pro series that we expect to be introduced next September.
Equity analyst Jeff Pu, a name that should be familiar to many PhoneArena readers, issued a new research note that was read by 9to5Mac. In this note, Pu said that Apple will employ an "aggressive pricing strategy" for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, at least for the base models. Pu's note states that Apple wants to keep the strong momentum that led it to report record March quarter iPhone sales in its fiscal Q2 earnings report yesterday.
Two respectable analysts have pricing forecasts for the iPhone 18 Pro series that align
Where will iPhone prices be in three years?
Pu's new forecast aligns with earlier comments made by well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who said earlier this year that Apple is working to keep iPhone 18 prices the same as those it charged for the iPhone 17 series last year. If Kuo and Pu are right, base pricing for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will start at $1,099 and $1,199 respectively.
Apple might add a new storage option for the iPhone 18 Pro Max
No one is going to put up a GoFundMe page for Apple, so what Apple might do is increase the prices for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max units sporting more than 256GB of storage. Apple is also rumored to offer a 2TB storage option for the first time with the iPhone 18 Pro Max. This is a possibility because of the rumored shift to Quad-Level Cell (QLC) flash storage, which is denser and less expensive than current storage solutions.
The foldable iPhone will be the most expensive iPhone ever
This is the right time to remind you that the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air models are not expected to be unveiled until the spring of 2027. Besides the iPhone 18 Pro models, we should see Apple introduce the first foldable iPhone this September.
Render of the iPhone 18 Pro. | Image by FPT
Whether it is given the iPhone Fold moniker, called the iPhone Ultra, or named something else, the internal screen is rumored to be crease-free, a major achievement that will move the foldable phone category forward. The rumored starting price range for this model ranges from $2,000 to $2,400.
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