Apple may raise prices for the iPhone 18 Pro series it will launch this year due to a sharp rise in global memory prices. The burden of manufacturing costs has grown as memory supply has tightened with expanded investment in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, compounded by the application of advanced process and packaging technologies.
According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on the 13th, the bill of materials (BOM) for the iPhone 18 Pro Max equipped with 12GB of memory and 1TB of storage is estimated to rise by about $300 (about 450,000 won) from its predecessor. Most of the increase is expected to come from memory.
A system-on-chip (SoC) based on the 2-nanometer process and the latest packaging technology were also cited as factors pushing up costs. While camera costs with new technologies applied are set to rise slightly, display and some component prices are expected to fall, partially offsetting the overall increase.
Last month, Apple raised prices for some Macs and iPads by up to $300 to reflect higher memory and storage prices. Industry watchers also say the starting prices of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could rise by around $200 each from the previous models. In the United States last year, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max started at $1,099 and $1,199, respectively.
The release schedule could also be reshaped around high-end models. Apple is said to be planning to launch the Pro/Pro Max and a foldable model first in Sep., while pushing back the standard iPhone 18 to 2027. The move is seen as a strategy to defend results by prioritizing premium products with higher profitability amid rising cost pressures.