Apple CEO Tim Cook recently told The Wall Street Journal that price hikes are inevitable.
iPhone 18 Pro might succeed the iPhone 17 Pro (pictured)
Photo Credit: Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a recent conversation with a publication, said that future price hikes are inevitable, hinting that the next-generation iPhone models and other Apple devices could cost significantly more. The company executive cited the ongoing shortage of memory and storage components, resulting in the price hike of key smartphone components, like DRAM and NAND sticks. Recently, a report highlighted that Apple might launch the iPhone 18 Pro at a significantly higher price than its predecessor. However, fresh estimates point to a relatively smaller delta between the iPhone 17 series and iPhone 18 series launch prices.
Citing a JP Morgan analyst report, Creative Strategies' Max Weinbach claims that Apple might launch the iPhone 18 series with a lower than previously anticipated price hike. The Cupertino-based tech giant is expected to raise the price of the lineup by $50 (about Rs. 4,800). The company reportedly plans to offset the increased manufacturing costs by equipping the iPhone 18 lineup with its proprietary Apple C series modems, instead of the Qualcomm modems found on the iPhone 17 Pro models.
For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max were launched in India in September 2025 at starting prices of Rs. 1,34,900 and Rs. 1,49,900, respectively. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Apple might unveil the iPhone 18 Pro at a $200 (about Rs. 19,000) premium, compared to the iPhone 17 Pro, taking the handset's expected launch price to $1,299 (roughly Rs. 1,23,000).
The cost to manufacture one unit of iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly rise to $726 (about Rs. 68,000), increasing from $582 (roughly Rs. 55,000) for the iPhone 17 Pro. Much of this increase could be because of the rising cost of memory and storage components. However, these estimated figures were reported assuming that Apple's profit margin on each unit will remain unchanged.
While the company has yet to confirm the launch of the iPhone 18 series, Apple's CEO, in a recent conversation with The Wall Street Journal, reportedly said that price hikes are “unavoidable”, hinting that the next-generation iPhone models could arrive with a higher price tag. The company will no longer be able to absorb the rising manufacturing costs in the future, the report added.
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