Apple has not changed the pricing of the iPhone 17 series, but the report claims the company could revise prices for the iPhone 18 lineup.
iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to succeed the iPhone 17 Pro Max (pictured)
Apple could increase the price of its next flagship smartphone, according to a new leak from tipster Smart Pikachu. The leak suggests the iPhone 18 Pro Max could arrive with a noticeably higher starting price than its predecessor in China, potentially making it Apple's most expensive non-folding iPhone yet. The reported increase is said to reflect rising manufacturing expenses linked to next-generation hardware and memory costs. Apple has not announced pricing or confirmed any details about the upcoming handset.
According to tipster Smart Pikachu (translated from Chinese) on Weibo, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at CNY 11,000 (roughly Rs. 1,56,700) in China. If the information proves accurate, the handset would cost around CNY 1,000 (roughly Rs. 14,200) more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max and become Apple's most expensive non-folding iPhone so far. At that price, the handset would sit alongside several premium foldable smartphones currently available in China.
The higher price is likely related to rising production costs, with the A20 Pro chip and memory cited as the primary factors. The chip is tipped to be manufactured using TSMC's 2nm process, making the iPhone 18 Pro Max the first Apple smartphone to use the newer manufacturing technology.
Industry estimates indicate that TSMC's 2nm wafers are priced at about $30,000 each, making them around 50 percent to 66 percent more expensive than 3nm wafers. As a result, the first generation of flagship chips built on the 2nm process is expected to cost more than 20 percent more to manufacture than current 3nm chips.
A report claims Apple has secured more than half of TSMC's initial 2nm production capacity for the A20 series, increasing manufacturing costs for the upcoming flagship lineup.
Memory prices are also said to be contributing to higher production costs. According to TrendForce data cited in the report, DRAM contract prices increased by 90 percent to 95 percent quarter on quarter during the first quarter. They rose by another 58 percent to 63 percent in the second quarter.
The report adds that combined DRAM and NAND spot prices have climbed by more than 300 percent. The report says memory now represents more than one-fifth of a smartphone's overall component cost, up from roughly one-tenth to 15 percent earlier.
Several smartphone brands have already increased prices this year. Mid-range models have reportedly become CNY 300 (roughly Rs. 4,300) to CNY 800 (roughly Rs. 11,400) more expensive, while some flagship devices have recorded price increases exceeding CNY 1,000 (roughly Rs. 14,200).
Apple has not changed the pricing of the iPhone 17 series, but the report claims the company could revise prices for the iPhone 18 lineup if component costs remain high. The Cupertino-based tech giant could also introduce its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series.
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