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Apple Expected to Pay 230 Percent Premium for iPhone 17 Pro RAM Chips In 2026: Report

Apple Expected to Pay 230 Percent Premium for iPhone 17 Pro RAM Chips In 2026: Report

iPhone 17 Pro was launched globally in September, alongside the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air.

Written by Dhruv Raghav, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 24 December 2025 16:39 IST

Apple Expected to Pay 230 Percent Premium for iPhone 17 Pro RAM Chips In 2026: Report

iPhone 17 Pro Max (pictured) is powered by a 3nm A19 chip

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Highlights

iPhone 17 Pro series and iPhone Air were launched in September
Apple is reportedly negotiating terms of contract with Samsung
iPhone 17 Pro series features 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM

Apple has reportedly started looking for new hardware suppliers, as the price of the 12GB LPDDR5x RAM is said to have increased by nearly 230 percent. Featured on the flagship iPhone 17 Pro series and iPhone Air, Samsung is said to be the primary supplier for Apple's memory sticks. A tech blogger claims that Apple has been unable to find a new supplier for its RAM. Hence, it has begun negotiating the terms of agreement with the South Korean tech giant. This appears to be an industry trend, where many OEMs have been forced to increase the prices of the handsets because of the rising costs of components.

Apple Reportedly Negotiating New Contract Terms With Samsung for RAM

Tech blogger Lanzuk (@yeuz1122) writes that the price of the 12GB LPDDR5x RAM, which is found in the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, has surged more than 230 percent. The RAM, which Apple sources from Samsung, was reportedly priced between $25 (about Rs. 2,200) and $29 (about Rs. 2,600) per unit when the initial contract was signed between the two giants. However, the same component now costs $70 (roughly Rs. 6,300) per unit, the tech blogger wrote. This has resulted in an increased cost of manufacturing for the Cupertino-based company.

As a countermeasure, Apple is said to be looking to diversify its supplier portfolio. The iPhone-maker is reportedly exploring deals with more RAM suppliers. However, Apple has reportedly been unable to find a suitable supplier, forcing it to continue sourcing memory components from Samsung. Consequently, the US-based company and the South Korean tech giant have reportedly begun negotiating new contract terms.

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Fold May Feature a Relocated Selfie Camera

The tech blogger claims that Apple had acquired large quantities of memory sticks initially, which currently puts it in a relatively secure position. But that could change soon as the demand for the flagship iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the new iPhone Air continues to rise.

This comes at a time when smartphone makers across the globe have started feeling the pinch from the rising prices of RAM and other components. Recently, the market research firm Counterpoint revised its Global Smartphone Shipment Tracker and Forecast for 2026, stating that the global smartphone shipments will likely shrink by 2.1 percent next year. As more DRAMs get redirected towards the AI industry, this shortage could worsen in the coming months.

The research firm said that the rising memory shortage has resulted in an increase in bill of materials (BoM), making it difficult for OEMs to acquire RAM at the price they could earlier. Due to this market trend, many tech firms are expected to raise the prices of their devices. Recently, news of Apple increasing the price of its standard iPhone 17 started making the rounds. However, the tech giant was quick to dismiss such claims.

iPhone 17 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A19 Pro

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 17 Pro Max

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
The boldest redesign since the iPhone X
Bright and stunning display
A19 Pro under the hood guarantees excellent performance
Massive camera upgrade
Video quality gets a much-needed bump
Centre Stage camera at the front changes selfie game on iPhones forever
Improved charging speed

Bad
Aluminium body picks up scratches
Expensive
Heavier than the 16 Pro Max

Read detailed Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max review

Display 6.90-inch

Processor Apple A19 Pro

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1320x2868 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone Air

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Incredibly lightweight and super thin
Stunning display
Solid performance
Good primary and selfie cameras

Bad
A single-camera sensor at the back
Slow charging
Battery life could have been better
Mono speaker leaves much to be desired
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone Air review

Display 6.50-inch

Processor Apple A19 Pro

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1260x2736 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 17

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Transformative and brighter ProMotion display
Powerful performance
Meaningful camera upgrades
More value-for-money
Great battery life

Bad
iOS 26 has glitches
Ineffective anti-reflective coating

Read detailed Apple iPhone 17 review

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A19

Front Camera 18-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 26

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple, RAM Prices

Dhruv Raghav

Email Dhruv Raghav

Dhruv Raghav is currently working as a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets360. He has previously covered the North American financial markets as a Headline News Correspondent for a major news agency. After taking a sabbatical to prepare for the Civil Services examination, he returned to journalism to cover tech policy, with a special focus on AI laws and online gaming regulation. Now, he is back in Gadgets360 to write features and edit stories. To unwind, he likes to spend time with his PS5, listening ...More