Following the recent price increases for Macs and iPads, an analysis firm anticipates a significantly higher price hike for the iPhone 18 Pro than previously expected. Instead of $100, the increase could now reach $200 – and for a specific model, the forecast even predicts a price of $3,000.
That Apple would raise prices for the iPhone 18 had long been considered likely. However, expectations are now shifting noticeably upwards. The trigger is the price increase for Macs, iPads, and the Vision Pro that Apple implemented this week. It was so substantial that market researchers at IDC immediately raised their estimates for the upcoming Pro models. The same driving force is behind all the price hikes: the global shortage of memory chips.
An upwardly revised forecast
Before the price increases for Macs and iPads, IDC had anticipated a $100 markup for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a $50 increase for the base models. However, with some Mac and iPad models now costing up to $300 more, the assessment has changed. Nabila Popal, Senior Director of Data & Analytics at IDC, now considers a price increase of up to $200 possible for the Pro models. She succinctly summarizes her assessment: The era of $50 price increases is over.
What this could mean for starting prices
Devices with comparable storage capacities provide a point of reference. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to have 12 GB of RAM – the same amount found in the M4 iPad Air and the less expensive M5 iPad Pro. The prices of these two iPads increased by $150 and $200, respectively.
If similar markups are applied to the upcoming Pro iPhones, the iPhone 18 Pro would have a starting price between $1,249 and $1,299. The iPhone 18 Pro Max would then be priced between $1,349 and $1,399. For comparison, the current iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099.
The foldable iPhone as a price anchor
A special role is played by the first foldable iPhone, which Apple is also expected to unveil this year. IDC estimates an average retail price of $2,500 for the device, with higher storage capacities potentially costing up to $3,000. The strategic side effect is interesting: the high price of the premium model could offset some of the increased storage costs, thus mitigating larger price increases for the other models. The actual price of the foldable iPhone aligns with the upward expectations surrounding Apple's most expensive iPhone, which have recently been reflected in reports from other sources as well.
Why the surcharge is unlikely to be a deterrent
It's noteworthy that the assessment suggests a higher price is unlikely to significantly reduce the number of users switching. IDC bases this on the new Siri generation: According to their argument, anyone who owns a non-Pro iPhone 15 or an older model will want to upgrade to a new device anyway to use Siri AI. The market researchers estimate that 54 percent of iPhones shipped since 2022 will require an upgrade to access the new assistant.
In addition, there's the Pro Max model's customer base, which is considered premium-oriented and less price-sensitive. Since many customers also opt for installment payments, the price increase becomes less significant in everyday use: Spread over 36 months, $200 amounts to roughly five dollars per month. None of this has been officially confirmed yet – Apple's pricing strategy will only be revealed at the product launch this fall. (Image: Shutterstock / Only_NewPhoto)
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