Written By: Divya | By: Divya | Published: Jun 20, 2026, 09:15 PM (IST)
iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: Why a big price hike could be coming
Apple's next Pro iPhone could bring more RAM and better AI features, but those upgrades may come with a higher price tag. Here's why the iPhone 18 Pro could cost noticeably more than the iPhone 17 Pro.
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IPhone 18 Pro coming this year
If you're already planning to buy the iPhone 18 Pro next year, there is one thing you should know. Reports suggest Apple may increase prices, making the next Pro iPhone significantly more expensive than the current model.
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Current Price Vs Expected Price
The iPhone 17 Pro currently starts at around $1,099 globally. Reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro could start at around $1,299, which is roughly a $200 increase before taxes and local pricing adjustments.
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Memory Costs Are Rising
One of the biggest reasons behind the expected price hike is memory. Industry-wide shortages are pushing up the cost of DRAM and storage chips, which are essential components inside every smartphone.
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AI Is Making Phones More Expensive
Apple is reportedly preparing bigger AI upgrades for future iPhones. More advanced Apple Intelligence features require additional hardware resources, which naturally increases component costs.
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More RAM Expected
Reports suggest the iPhone 18 series could move from 8GB RAM to 12GB RAM. That extra memory may help power future Siri upgrades and on-device AI features, but it won't come cheap.
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Storage Costs Are Also Increasing
It's not just RAM. Storage prices are reportedly climbing as well because manufacturers are prioritising AI-focused memory products used in servers and data centres over consumer devices.
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Apple May Not Absorb Costs Forever
Apple has historically tried to avoid major price hikes, but recent comments from CEO Tim Cook suggest it may become increasingly difficult to shield customers from rising component costs.
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Is The iPhone 17 Pro A Better Buy?
If these reports turn out to be accurate, the iPhone 17 Pro could end up looking like a much better value purchase. You may miss some AI upgrades, but you could also save a significant amount of money.