The iPhone 18 Pro will cost Apple 38% more in parts – but there’s some good news
A new TrendForce analysis estimates that Apple will pay 38% more for iPhone 18 Pro components than it did for its predecessor. Unsurprisingly, the biggest hike is in the cost of memory, with Apple said to be paying around three times more this year. However, the firm’s analysis supports my own view that this year’s increase in price will not be as high as some have suggested …
TrendForce's analysis predicts Apple will face a 38% increase in production costs for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro compared to its predecessor. The primary driver of this rise is the cost of memory, which is expected to surge, representing over 40% of the component cost by next year. This trend is a significant shift from previous years, where the display was the most expensive component.
While some sources suggest the starting price of the iPhone 18 Pro could reach $1,399, Apple may choose to absorb some of the increased costs to protect demand. Market analysts suggest Apple might follow a similar pricing strategy seen in recent MacBook launches, accepting a smaller gross margin to soften the price increase and maintain shipment volumes.
Written by urgent.news from 9to5Mac's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 3 other outlets
- Analysis: the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro is set to have a bill of materials cost ~38% higher than the iPhone 17 Pro due to memory prices; memory's BOM share hits 34% (TrendForce) trendforce.com
- Jefferies downgrades Apple, says supply chain checks indicate a planned all-glass iPhone is canceled cnbc.com
- Apple gets rating cut at Jefferies as planned all-glass iPhone is canceled seekingalpha.com
