Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro models could cost up to $200 more, according to a forecast from analytics firm IDC.
IDC expected Apple to raise prices for the iPhone 18, but before yesterday’s Mac and iPad price hike, the forecast was a $100 increase for the 18 Pro and Pro Max, and a $50 increase for the base models.
Nabila Popal, IDC’s senior director of data and analytics, says the magnitude of the Mac and iPad price increase points to even higher prices for the iPhone 18.
In our forecast, we assumed a price increase of $100 for the Pro and Pro Max models, and $50 for the base models. However, given that current price hikes for iPads and Macs are as high as $300 for some models, my personal instinct tells me that the price hike for iPhones could be even higher than we had assumed – perhaps even $200 for the Pro/Pro Max models. I think the days of $50 price increases are over.
Apple also plans to launch a foldable iPhone this year, and IDC believes its average selling price could reach $2,500, with higher storage tiers reaching up to $3,000. The price of the premium model could offset some of the increased memory costs and avoid a larger price hike for other models.
Apple raised prices because component costs rose due to a global memory crisis limiting supply. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to have 12GB of RAM, so looking at other devices with 12GB of RAM could hint at Apple’s iPhone pricing plans. The lower-tier iPad Air M4 and iPad Pro M5 feature 12GB of RAM, with prices increasing by $150 and $200, respectively.
It’s possible that the iPhone 18 Pro models will see similar price increases, increasing the starting price of the iPhone 18 Pro to between $1,249 and $1,299 and the starting price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max to between $1,349 and $1,399.
IDC believes that an increase in the price of the iPhone 18 Pro will not impact the number of people upgrading, as consumers with an iPhone 15 (non-Pro) or higher will likely want to buy a new iPhone to get Siri AI. The company estimates that 54% of iPhones shipped since 2022 need to be upgraded to get the new “Siri.” Customers who choose a Pro Max are also “premium-focused and less price sensitive” and therefore won’t be deterred by a price increase, and many customers opt for monthly payment plans. A $200 increase in the price of the iPhone 18 Pro over 36 months works out to about $5 per month.
