iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to be launched in September, along with the iPhone Ultra.
iPhone 18 Pro could succeed this year's iPhone 17 Pro (pictured)
iPhone 17 series was launched in global markets, including India, in September last year, boasting improved performance and a new design. The Cupertino-based tech giant increased the prices of the three models in India, while also increasing the base storage of the standard model. This came as the smartphone industry as a whole suffers from inflated RAM and storage prices due to a massive shortage spurred by an unprecedented rise in AI adoption. However, this year, the Tim Cook-led company will reportedly launch the new iPhone 18 Pro series with “aggressive pricing”, which might lead to a decrease in Android's market share.
According to a research note seen by 9to5Mac, market analyst Jeff Pu says that Apple is planning to use the “aggressive pricing” strategy for its next-generation smartphone models, dubbed iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. This suggests that the tech giant could either keep the prices of the two smartphones unchanged from their predecessors or increase their prices marginally.
For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro was launched in India in September 2025 at a starting price of Rs. 1,34,900 for the base 256GB variant, while pricing the 512GB and 1TB storage options at Rs. 1,54,900 and Rs. 1,74,900, respectively. On the other hand, the iPhone 17 Pro Max arrived at a starting price of Rs. 1,49,900 for the 256GB, while costing Rs. 1,69,900, Rs. 1,89,900, and Rs. 2,29,900 for the 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations.
The market analyst also reportedly predicts that the market share of Android smartphones could decrease, as the difference between the prices of iPhone models and premium Android handsets will not be as stark as it has been for years.
The gradual, but consistent rise in component prices, especially of memory and storage like DRAM and NAND flash memory, has forced various OEMs to increase the prices of their models across segments and categories to maintain sustainable margins.
In December 2025, tech blogger Lanzuk (@yeuz1122) wrote that since Apple had initially acquired relatively large quantities of memory components, it is currently in a secure position. This means that the tech giant could be in a relatively better position to absorb the rising prices, while other OEMs could continue grappling with them.
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