iPhone 18 Pro Price Leaks Online: Here's How Expensive It's Going To Be Due to Memory Shortage

Apple's next flagship could come with a noticeably higher price tag, as a global memory shortage continues to push up component costs across the smartphone industry. While Apple has not confirmed any pricing details, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged during a recent earnings call that rising memory prices could affect product pricing going forward. A new estimate from research firm TechInsights, cited by The Wall Street Journal, now offers the clearest early picture yet of what the iPhone 18 Pro might cost.

Memory costs have jumped sharply

According to the TechInsights report, the memory components that go into the iPhone 18 Pro have become dramatically more expensive over the past year. The 12GB DRAM chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro reportedly cost Apple around $39 (about Rs. 3,350) last year. For the iPhone 18 Pro, the same configuration is now estimated to cost close to $145 (roughly Rs. 12,450), nearly a fourfold jump. Storage costs have followed a similar trajectory, with 256GB of storage reportedly rising from around $13 (Rs. 1,120) to nearly $51 (Rs. 4,380).

Manufacturing costs set to climb

These component price hikes are expected to filter through into Apple's overall manufacturing bill. TechInsights estimates that building the base 256GB iPhone 17 Pro cost Apple approximately $582 (around Rs. 49,950). The iPhone 18 Pro, by comparison, could cost roughly $726 (about Rs. 62,300) to manufacture, a sizeable increase even before accounting for marketing, logistics and other operational expenses.

Apple may need to raise prices to protect margins

Apple reportedly posted a gross margin of about 47 percent on the iPhone 17 Pro, which launched at $1,099 in the US. To hold onto that same margin with the iPhone 18 Pro, the company would theoretically need to price the device at around $1,371 (approximately Rs. 1.18 lakh). However, analysts believe Apple is more likely to settle on a slightly more palatable $1,299 (around Rs. 1.11 lakh), a price point that would still leave the company with a healthy gross margin of close to 44 percent.

A new camera system could push costs even further

Adding to the pricing pressure, reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro may debut a new variable-aperture camera system, a feature that could meaningfully raise hardware costs on its own. If this upgraded camera module turns out to be around 50 percent costlier than the current setup, the starting price of the base iPhone 18 Pro could climb as high as $1,399 (nearly Rs. 1.20 lakh). Such an increase would likely ripple across the rest of the lineup too, potentially making the iPhone 18 Pro Max pricier than its predecessor, which currently starts at $1,199 in the US and Rs. 1,31,400 in India.

What this could mean for the price in India

If Apple does raise the US starting price of the iPhone 18 Pro from $1,099 to somewhere between $1,299 and $1,399, the effect in India is likely to be amplified further once import duties, GST and Apple's local pricing strategy are factored in. To recall, the iPhone 17 Pro launched in India at Rs. 1,39,900.

Based on the projected US pricing, the iPhone 18 Pro could launch anywhere between Rs. 1,59,900 and Rs. 1,74,900 in India. Should Apple go ahead with the rumoured variable-aperture camera system and pass its higher costs on to buyers, the upper end of that range looks more likely. That said, the final India price tag will ultimately hinge on Apple's regional pricing approach and how import or local manufacturing costs evolve closer to launch.