Apple is preparing to raise iPhone prices as the same memory shortage that already pushed up the cost of Macs and iPads reaches the company’s most important consumer product.
The exact increase has not been announced, but Apple has been watching competitors Samsung and Google, both of which raised flagship-phone prices by about $100. A similar increase would push the expected iPhone 18 Pro from $1,099 to about $1,199, roughly a 9% jump.
The pressure is coming from inside the phone.
Memory chips have become dramatically more expensive as artificial-intelligence data centers consume enormous quantities of advanced memory and manufacturers struggle to expand supply quickly enough. Apple has already acknowledged that its component costs are rising sharply.
Chief Executive Tim Cook recently described the situation as a “100-year flood” in memory pricing, saying Apple had reluctantly raised prices across other product categories because the increases had become too large to absorb.
Mac and iPad prices rose earlier this summer, while the current iPhone lineup was largely spared.
That protection now appears unlikely to last.
Apple is expected to introduce its next premium iPhones in September, including the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, along with its first foldable iPhone. The new devices are also expected to use more expensive processors and camera components, adding another layer of cost beyond memory.
For consumers, a $100 increase matters beyond the sticker price.
Many buyers finance phones through carriers over 24 or 36 months, which can make a price increase appear small on a monthly bill. But households purchasing several devices can still end up paying hundreds of dollars more during an upgrade cycle, particularly once storage upgrades, AppleCare and accessories are added.
Apple also has an incentive not to push prices too far.
The company already raised prices sharply elsewhere in its product lineup, and an aggressive iPhone increase risks slowing upgrades at a time when consumers are keeping smartphones longer. A roughly $100 increase would keep Apple broadly aligned with competing premium phones rather than creating a substantially new pricing tier.
There is one important distinction for buyers: Apple has not announced the final prices yet.
The current expectation is based on rising component costs and reporting about Apple’s preparations, not an official price list. The final numbers are likely to arrive with Apple’s September product launch.
But the larger trend is increasingly difficult to avoid.
Artificial intelligence is not only making data centers more expensive to build. By consuming enormous amounts of memory and semiconductor capacity, the AI boom is beginning to raise the cost of everyday electronics as well.
The next place consumers may see that bill is in their pocket.
JBizNews Desk | Cupertino, California
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