Overview
- Late August 2026 reporting, led by Bloomberg and multiple supply‑chain leaks, says Apple is preparing to raise iPhone 18 Pro base prices by roughly $100 and to apply larger increases to high‑capacity storage variants.
- Apple is set to center its September announcement on the iPhone 18 Pro line and a first foldable (reported as the ‘iPhone Ultra’), while pushing standard iPhone 18 models into early 2027 to concentrate scarce parts on premium SKUs.
- The price pressure stems from rising RAM and NAND costs tied to growing AI data‑center demand and from wafer‑level packaging limits at chip foundries that require memory to be integrated early, tightening assembly and yields.
- Leaked hardware details say Pro models will carry the A20 Pro on TSMC’s 2nm node, more RAM, larger batteries and new camera systems such as variable‑aperture lenses, changes that raise performance and also increase bill‑of‑materials costs.
- Apple is reportedly negotiating with suppliers and preparing financing and Upgrade options to ease buyer impact, but initial stock for the foldable will be very limited and regional taxes and currency differences could make list‑price hikes larger outside the U.S.