iPhone 18 Pro will not increase in price! Two major analysts confirmed that Apple will hold down the price, and take a look at 12 major upgrades

Although the iPhone 18 series is facing pressure from soaring costs for chips, memory, etc., two heavyweight analysts have confirmed:applePlan maintenance iPhone 18 Pro The starting price of the series remains unchanged. What’s even more exciting is that without increasing the price, the iPhone 18 Pro will also bring a number of major upgrades: including 2nm chips, variable aperture lenses, smaller Dynamic Island, and Apple’s self-developed 5G modem.

iPhone 18 Pro will not increase in price! Two major analysts confirmed that Apple will hold down the price, and take a look at 12 major upgrades

Due to the skyrocketing prices of memory (RAM) and storage chips and the pressure brought by possible new processes, Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro faces unprecedented cost challenges this year:

1. A20 Pro chip (TSMC 2nm process)

iPhone 18 Pro will be equipped with the new A20 Pro chip, using TSMC’s most advanced N2 (2nm) process, and uses WMCM (Wafer Level Multi-Chip Module) packaging technology. The foundry cost of 2nm process is higher than that of 3nm About 50% higher , coupled with NVIDIA, AMD, Qualcomm and other companies competing for production capacity, TSMC is currently in a state of short supply.

2. DRAM memory prices soar

The AI ​​craze has driven a surge in demand for DRAM, and memory prices have continued to rise. Apple’s memory purchases from suppliers (Samsung, SK Hynix) are negotiated on a quarterly basis, with further price increases expected in the second quarter of 2026.

3. NAND storage device

Also driven by AI demand, storage costs are rising. Many Wall Street investors originally believed that Apple would inevitably pass on the costs to consumers. But the opposite may be true.

Two major analysts: It won’t rise

Ming-Chi Kuo — Tianfeng International Securities

• Apple’s plan for new iPhone in the second half of 2026 is “Avoid price increases as much as possible: at least keep the starting price the same, which helps marketing”
• The starting price of iPhone 18 Pro is predicted to be the same as that of iPhone 17 Pro

A few quick thoughts on Apple/iPhone memory price hikes:

1. The 1Q26 LPDDR price hikes mentioned in the news are pretty close to what I’ve heard. NAND flash increases, however, are a bit lower.

2. iPhone memory pricing is now negotiated quarterly instead of every six months, so…

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 27, 2026

Jeff Pu—GF Securities (Guotai Junan)

• Latest supply chain investigation follows Apple’s 2026 Q1 earnings call
• Found that Apple has startedMultiple cost control measures：
  • Negotiated with Samsung and SK Hynix to achieve relative “favorable“Memory price
  • Plans to reduce costs for other core components, includingScreen and camera
• The starting price of iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max will be “remain unchanged or remain at a similar level」

expected selling price

Upgrading without a price increase? A look at the top rumored features of iPhone 18 Pro 12

According to the current foreign media MacRumors as of February 2026tidy, iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be equipped with the following upgrades:

Appearance and screen

1. maintain 6.3 inches / 6.9 inchesScreen size, three-lens “platform” design
2. brand new LTPO+ screen, more power saving
3. Dynamic Island Zoom out:The Face ID part has been moved to the bottom of the screen, leaving only the front lens opening.
4. The back Ceramic Shield design changes and may appearMore matte glass texture
5. New colors under consideration:Burgundy, brown, or purple

camera

6. Main camera addedVariable aperture(Variable Aperture) – This is a technology unique to single-lens/mirrorless cameras that can control the amount of light and depth of field.
7. Three-lens configuration: 48MP main lens (7P VA) + 48MP periscope + 48MP ultra-wide angle (6P)
8. Front lens upgraded to 18MP（6P）
9. Camera Control buttons simplified,Cancel swipe gesture

Performance and connectivity

10. A20 Pro chip(TSMC 2nm + WMCM package), with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM
11. Apple’s self-developed C2 modemReplaces Qualcomm Snapdragon X80, responsible for 5G/LTE connectivity
12. Apple develops its own N1 chip(or newer version), supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, Thread

other

• supportSatellite web browsing(Editor’s note: It may be Starlink, not just emergency SOS)
• iPhone 18 Pro Max may be slightly thicker to accommodate bigger battery

price war with competitors

If Apple can keep prices unchanged, while Samsung has confirmed a price increase of $40-60, Apple’s competitiveness in the high-end market will become even more prominent.

Note: The base iPhone 18 won’t be released this year

According to multiple reports, apples will be released in the fall of 2026Only iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max and iPhone Fold will be launched , the standard version of iPhone 18 is postponed to 2027It will be launched simultaneously with iPhone 19e and iPhone Air 2. This means that consumers who want to buy a new iPhone this year will only have the iPhone 17e as their entry-level choice (expected to be released on 2/19). Keeping the Pro series without price increases will help cushion the impact of not having affordable options.

Also worth noting is that Apple expects iPhone 17e released on February 19,and M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro As soon as possible Available the week of March 2。

Summary observations

1. Apple’s moat: Even if the cost of parts soars, Apple still has enough bargaining power, economies of scale and supply chain control capabilities to absorb costs, which is beyond the reach of other brands.
2. Self-developed alternative strategies: From C2 modems to N1 connection chips, Apple continues to replace suppliers such as Qualcomm with self-developed parts, which can significantly reduce costs in the long run.
3. Variable aperture is the highlight: This will be the first time that an iPhone is equipped with a variable aperture lens, which is a major upgrade for photography enthusiasts.
4. 2nm process bonus: Although the foundry cost is higher, performance and energy efficiency improvements can bring a better user experience, and Apple chooses to absorb the price difference itself.
5. Smart price strategy: In an environment where competitors are raising prices, Apple’s combination of “no price increase + major upgrades” may capture more high-end market share this fall.

Source: KOCPC Chinese