Apple fans are already waiting for iPhone 18 Pro,but now price rumours are giving different kind of headache . And honestly,this is not small increase ah,if these reports turn out true.
Reason being discussed is global memory shortage which is now hitting smartphone industry badly . Apple has not confirmed any specific pricing details yet,but CEO Tim Cook did acknowledge in recent earnings call that rising memory prices could influence product pricing in future.
A recent report from research firm TechInsights has now added more fuel to this whole discussion . According to report,memory parts used inside iPhone 18 Pro have become much more expensive over past year,and that is where actual shock starts.
For example,12GB DRAM chip used in previous iPhone 17 Pro reportedly cost Apple around $39 (about ₹3,350 ) last year . But same chip for iPhone 18 Pro is now estimated around $145 (approximately ₹12,450 ),which is almost fourfold increase . That jump is honestly crazy for one component only.
Few numbers standing out clearly here:
- Estimated manufacturing cost for iPhone 18 Pro could reach around $726 (about ₹62,300 ),up from $582 (around ₹49,950 ) for iPhone 17 Pro.
- Analysts suggest starting price for iPhone 18 Pro could range from $1,299 to $1,399.
- New variable-aperture camera system could add to hardware costs and push retail price higher .
And this is where buyer side pain begins . For context,estimated cost to build base model of iPhone 17 Pro was around $582 (approximately ₹49,950 ),while iPhone 18 Pro could see manufacturing costs rise to about $726 (approximately ₹62,300 ),excluding marketing and logistics expenses.
Apple usually protects its margins strongly . Current estimates suggest Apple achieved gross margin of around 47% on iPhone 17 Pro,which launched at $1,099 in US . If company wants similar margin with iPhone 18 Pro,price may need to be around $1,371 (about ₹1.18 lakh ).
But analysts are leaning toward slightly more consumer-friendly price of $1,299 (around ₹1.11 lakh ),which still gives healthy gross margin of about 44% . Tbh,calling $1,299 consumer-friendly itself shows where premium phone pricing has reached rn .
Camera side may make matter worse . Reports say new camera system could add up to 50% to current hardware costs,and if that happens,iPhone 18 Pro starting price could go near $1,399 (nearly ₹1.20 lakh ) . Then ripple effect may hit full lineup too,including iPhone 18 Pro Max,which currently starts at $1,199 in US and ₹1,31,400 in India.
And at same time,question is simple but uncomfortable . How much higher can flagship phone prices go before even loyal Apple users start thinking twice…
