Khaberni - Technical reports revealed a surprising decision by Apple to keep the prices of the iPhone 18 series at their current levels, despite the significant increase in the cost of phone memory and other components, in a step aimed at boosting its share in the smartphone market and bearing the pressures of short-term margins.
The veteran Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, explained that the company will keep the starting price of the basic iPhone 18 models at $799 when they are expected to launch in late 2026.
Kuo pointed out in a post on the "X" platform that the company may face challenges in the supply chain due to the increasing demand for artificial intelligence components, but it is expected to be able to absorb these costs without raising prices.
The post explained that the basic iPhone 18 model may start at $799, while the Pro and Pro Max models, which may include the first foldable iPhone, are expected to range from $2000 to $2500 when launched in fall 2026. The standard model and the mid-range iPhone 18e model are likely to launch in spring 2027.
Estimates by IDC indicate that iPhone shipments in 2025 will reach about 247 million units, up 6% from the previous year, supported by strong demand in China and interest in luxury models.
These forecasts come at a time when the smartphone industry is experiencing a crisis of rising LPDDR and NAND memory prices by between 10 to 25% over the past year, driven by high demand from artificial intelligence data centers.
It seems that Apple's ability to absorb these costs without raising prices may give it a competitive edge over other companies, while the company's service revenues are expected to continue to support profit margins and offset any potential impact from rising hardware costs.
Apple is scheduled to announce its financial results for the first quarter of its fiscal year 2026 in the coming period, which may provide a clearer picture of the impact of these challenges on the company's performance.
