Editorials · Readers Voice
Apple has already given consumers a reason to steer clear of iPhone 18 Pro
Our readers might just sit this one out.
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
The iPhone 18 Pro will be too expensive for many consumers' tastes. | Image by @earlyappleleaks
In the months and weeks leading up to a new smartphone launch, everyone obsesses over whether the price will rise or remain the same. Apple has eliminated the need for that discussion around the iPhone 18 Pro, with outgoing CEO Tim Cook saying price hikes are unavoidable. The conversation has shifted from if to by how much. Our readers have already decided they are priced out.
Apple has already bumped up prices on its computers, tablets, and other products for the same reason that the iPhone 18 Pro will be expensive: AI companies have gobbled up memory supply, sending costs skyrocketing.
With a starting price of $1,099, the iPhone 17 Pro already sits pretty high up on the price ladder. We asked our readers how much higher they would be willing to climb for the iPhone 18 Pro, and the results should give Apple some pause.
Of the 1,066 readers who responded, a staggering 621 (58%) vowed not to pay a single penny over the current $1,099 baseline.
The $50 and $100 price bump options tied for second place, securing 181 (17%) votes each. Only 77 (7%) were willing to stretch their budgets to cover a $150 price hike.
We suspect none of the survey participants will be buying the iPhone 18 Pro. Current reports point toward a massive $200 to $300 price hike, meaning a base price between $1,299 and $1,399.
The rest of the world might not even flinch. Apple corners the market for premium phones priced $600 and up. Its users are conditioned to pay high prices. If that weren't the case, maybe the iPhone SE and iPhone mini would still be around.
Besides, since people tend to be on their phones all the time, iPhones are not all that price-sensitive.
What might make this pill easier to swallow is that Apple isn't acting alone. AI has disrupted the memory supply chain, and manufacturers can't keep on absorbing those costs indefinitely.
Customers will accept the hit if their device is accompanied by upgrades that justify it. The iPhone 18 Pro may deliver with a faster chip, longer battery life, an improved camera system, and some visual changes.
The AI premium
Apple has already bumped up prices on its computers, tablets, and other products for the same reason that the iPhone 18 Pro will be expensive: AI companies have gobbled up memory supply, sending costs skyrocketing.
With a starting price of $1,099, the iPhone 17 Pro already sits pretty high up on the price ladder. We asked our readers how much higher they would be willing to climb for the iPhone 18 Pro, and the results should give Apple some pause.
Not budging
Of the 1,066 readers who responded, a staggering 621 (58%) vowed not to pay a single penny over the current $1,099 baseline.
The $50 and $100 price bump options tied for second place, securing 181 (17%) votes each. Only 77 (7%) were willing to stretch their budgets to cover a $150 price hike.
How much more would you pay for the iPhone 18 Pro?
The kicker
We suspect none of the survey participants will be buying the iPhone 18 Pro. Current reports point toward a massive $200 to $300 price hike, meaning a base price between $1,299 and $1,399.
The rest of the world might not even flinch. Apple corners the market for premium phones priced $600 and up. Its users are conditioned to pay high prices. If that weren't the case, maybe the iPhone SE and iPhone mini would still be around.
Besides, since people tend to be on their phones all the time, iPhones are not all that price-sensitive.
Getting your money's worth
What might make this pill easier to swallow is that Apple isn't acting alone. AI has disrupted the memory supply chain, and manufacturers can't keep on absorbing those costs indefinitely.
Customers will accept the hit if their device is accompanied by upgrades that justify it. The iPhone 18 Pro may deliver with a faster chip, longer battery life, an improved camera system, and some visual changes.
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