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iPhone 18 Pro May Have 'Aggressive' Starting Price Despite RAM Crisis

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While the ongoing RAM chip shortage is leading some Android smartphone makers to increase prices, one analyst believes that Apple will take advantage of the situation with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Four-iPhone-18-Pro-Colors-Mock-Feature.jpg

In a research note with GF Securities today, analyst Jeff Pu said he expects Apple to outperform in the smartphone market by having an "aggressive pricing strategy" for the iPhone 18 Pro models. He previously predicted that the starting prices of the iPhone 18 Pro models will be unchanged or only slightly higher compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models.

In the U.S., the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199, with 256GB of storage. Both devices are equipped with 12GB of RAM, and the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to have an equal amount of RAM.

Apple said that it expects "significantly higher memory costs" in the current March-June quarter, so it is not entirely immune to the problem. However, Apple's scale likely gives it more leverage over RAM suppliers compared to most if not all Android smartphone makers. In addition, Pu previously said that he expected Apple to find ways to lower the costs of some other iPhone components, including the display and cameras.

iPhone 18 Pro models are rumored to feature a smaller Dynamic Island, a faster A20 Pro chip, variable aperture for at least one rear camera, a simplified Camera Control button, 5G via satellite, a special "Dark Cherry" color, and more.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September, while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e are expected to debut around March 2027.

Article Link: iPhone 18 Pro May Have 'Aggressive' Starting Price Despite RAM Crisis
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/05/12/iphone-18-pro-aggressive-pricing-rumor/
Better to take the small short term hit in profits than to lose customers. Apple can definitely afford to be competitive with pricing, and I think they know that.

But the ram shortage makes me wonder if they will actually reduce the iPhone Air price. Maybe it’ll stay the same for another year.
 
They couldn't get people to jump ship to Android with Liquid Glass, so why would they think another $100 will create switchers? They are going to charge whatever they can get away with and call it COURAGE.
 
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Think the 256GB versions will have same price as 17 Pro/Pro Max or maybe at most $50 more. The higher storage variants could be costlier than similar 17 models by $100.
 
jsavvy said:
Maybe they should skip the 18 Pro until RAM prices go down. Do we need a new Pro phone every year?
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In a way, yes. Not everybody is on the same upgrade cycle. I can't upgrade until this fall or I'd forfeit credits from my carrier for my current device.

And I certainly don't want to be buying 1-2 year old tech that I'm going to be stuck with for 3 additional years after that. The Qualcomm X75 in the iPhone 17 Pro is already nearly two years old. Somebody buying a 17 Pro in August on a typical 36 month carrier financing agreement will have 5-6 year old cellular baseband tech when their next opportunity to upgrade comes around.
 
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How much should a price hike really be when you're only getting 12GB LPDDR5 RAM? And NAND flash memory was priced at such a high markup anyway. They're not taking that much of a hit when you look at their own costs
 
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Long term for Apple, market share over time is worth more than temporary margins. Being on a 3 year upgrade cycle that is basically paid for with my cell plan, I'm definitely looking forward to the 18 pro max and hope Apple doesn't try to cut corners.
 
It really depends on what the end price will be, but if I could get the 18 Pro, I would. If I can't afford it at the time, maybe the 17 Pro, or the Air would do me good.
 
'RAM Crisis' = man-made shortage due to greedy, shortsighted and reactive CEO thugs in the tech industry as they compete in a race towards dystopia and who screwed over consumers so that they can build their AI data centers (and personal data harvesting and surveillance infrastructure) that nobody wants. Forgive me, I've not hat my coffee yet.
 
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Apple better not compromise other areas of the Pro to keep the prices down. It's either a Pro model or it's not... compromise should relegated for the non-Pro models. If they have to increase the prices then increase the prices.

This should be obvious.
 
Even my Oppo Find X9 Ultra ist 1,799€ now. Never thought iPhone would ever be considered the cheap alternative 😅
 
Sowelu said:
'RAM Crisis' = man-made shortage due to greedy, shortsighted and reactive CEO thugs in the tech industry as they run in a race towards dystopia and who screwed over consumers so that they can build their AI data centers (and personal data harvesting and surveillance infrastructure) that nobody wants. Forgive me, I've not hat my coffee yet.
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2009 world crysis
2010-2011 Syria Libya wars - oil price was bigger- inflation
2014 Ukraine war - oil and gas prices were bigger - inflation
2015 Migration crysis
2017-2018 crypto crysis - graphic cards were expensive
2020-2020 covid - inflation
2022 Ukraine war - inflation, oil and gas prices were bigger
2024 world crysis bec of war on Ukraine
2026 Iranian war - inflation, oil prices are up, ram crysis

- less rain, less food, wars, robots
- this world is turning into S.it
 
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McWetty said:
Unless they put 3 lenses on the base model, I do. I use my Pro for work and I need wide/standard/tele for the job.

I wouldn’t bother upgrading my 15Pro, but I’m pretty confident the 19Pro and on will be dramatically more expensive.
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Haha for the job... bro again people that care a lot about cameras on phones...

The base 17e does everything you need pretty well... If you really want better than 17e, just get any camera...
 
DocMultimedia said:
You do if you want the best available iPhone camera. You may not be interested, but many people are.
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Not interested at all you are right... Now I know y'all will go hate against me saying that you cannot fit a camera in your pocket...

Damn, ok well dji will release the osmo pocket 4 pro that will beat the iPhone ! It will probably cost around the same to buy an iPhone 17e + that than a 18 pro !
 
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