The iPhone 18 Pro lineup is expected to be announced in a month, with new features including an upgraded camera system, the A20 Pro chip, and more. How much will the iPhone 18 Pro cost? Here’s everything we know so far.
iPhone 18 Pro: Why will it be more expensive?
Apple announced major price increases earlier this summer, affecting MacBooks, iPads, and more. The iPhone, however, was spared by these increases. The expectation, however, is that the iPhone 18 Pro will be more expensive than its iPhone 17 Pro predecessor.
There are a number of reasons for this, including the ongoing shortages around RAM and storage components. Apple CEO Tim Cook has characterized the current situation as a “hundred-year flood on memory pricing, with exponential increases in memory prices.”
The iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture camera system is also expected to be more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera. Ming-Chi Kuo has reported the variable aperture lens on the iPhone 18 Pro will have a 50% higher average selling price than the current iPhone 17 Pro’s Main camera.
Finally, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be powered by the A20 Pro chip, which is TSMC’s first 2-nanometer processor. With this complex new design, the A20 Pro is reportedly more expensive for Apple and TSMC to make.
With all of that in mind, it seems like a near-guarantee that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be more expensive. The question, of course, is how dramatic of a price increase it will be.
How much will the iPhone 18 Pro cost?
Most recently, analyst Jeff Pu reported that Apple will increase iPhone 18 Pro prices by between $250 and $300. If that is correct, here’s what it means:
- iPhone 18 Pro starting price: Between $1,349 and $1,399 (up from $1,099)
- iPhone 18 Pro Max starting price: Between $1,449 and $1,499 (up from $1,199)
The Wall Street Journal conducted an analysis in partnership with research firm TechInsights and came to a similar conclusion, predicting a starting price of at least $1,299, but likely closer to $1,399.
While Apple doesn’t report the gross profit margins on individual products, the TechInsights research suggests the margin on the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro was a tidy 47%. To maintain that profit margin for the iPhone 18 Pro, based on estimated costs, the company would have to charge $1,371. Because the company likes standardized pricing, the starting price tag would more likely be $1,299, yielding a 44% gross profit.
And this calculation doesn’t account for a potential new camera system that will also cost Apple about 50% more than previous models, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In that case, following the same math, Apple could set the starting price of the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,399—or higher.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently wrote that there is “absolutely no doubt that Apple will raise iPhone prices.” Gurman said he anticipates iPhone 18 Pro prices will increase between $100 and $200, similar to the price increases Apple implemented on Macs and iPads.
In a more optimistic take, analysts at JP Morgan predicted that Apple will find ways to save on the cost of other components in the iPhone 18 lineup to help offset the ones getting more expensive this year.
Wrap up: iPhone 18 Pro pricing
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in just a few weeks, at which point we will learn exact pricing information.
What do you think? Will the iPhone 18 Pro actually be $300 more expensive, or is that too big of a jump even for Apple? Let us know down in the comments.
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