Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cost $100 more than last year's Pro models, with the top storage tier reaching $2,499. The increase reflects a global memory chip shortage that has also pushed up iPad and Mac prices this year.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on Tuesday with price tags $100 higher than the previous Pro models.
The company also introduced a new foldable iPhone Duo, priced at $1,999, but has yet to announce the entry-level iPhone 18.
Storage tiers push prices higher
The new Pro models come in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations. The 2TB Pro costs $2,399, and the 2TB Pro Max costs $2,499 — both above the 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max, the previous most expensive iPhone on the market. Even so, the top-tier Pro models remain cheaper than the 2TB iPhone Duo, which will cost $3,199.
A shortage stretching even Apple
The higher prices illustrate how the global memory shortage has stretched a company as dominant as Apple. In his final earnings call as CEO, Tim Cook said Apple "reluctantly raised prices" of iPads and MacBooks because of the shortage. The shortage is largely driven by the AI revolution, as chipmakers shift production away from consumer chips toward the specialized chips that power AI data centers.
In June, Apple raised iPad prices by up to 25% and Mac prices by as much as 20%, while existing iPhone models stayed unchanged at the time. Other companies have followed a similar path. Samsung and Google have both said they raised prices on some smartphone models because of rising memory costs, and Google added $100 to the Pixel 11 while doubling the storage of its baseline edition.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max open for preorder on Saturday, September 12, and go on sale September 18.
Source: Business Insider
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