iPhone 18 rumor says price could stay the same as last year
Some welcome news for future iPhone upgraders
🍎 Apple is expected to keep the iPhone 18 the same price as the iPhone 17
💰 A well-known analyst expects the company to absorb any costs related to the RAM shortage
📱 It’ll instead make up for lost profit through its services business
📆 Apple is expected to announce the first iPhone 18 devices this fall
Apple is rumored to keep the price of the iPhone 18 series the same as the iPhone 17. That’s according to a new report from well-known industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says that the company will eat the costs of rising RAM prices instead of pushing that cost onto its customers. It’s a different direction than what we’ve seen other companies do in the midst of the current RAM shortage, with even Samsung rumored to raise the price of the Galaxy S26 to accommodate.
On the contrary, Apple will reportedly keep the price of the iPhone 18 lineup consistent with the iPhone 17 series. For reference, the regular iPhone 17 starts at $799, the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199. Kuo says that at the very least, the starting prices of the devices will remain the same, which will help in marketing the future phones. It’s unclear if higher-storage tiers will see a price jump.
Kuo believes that Apple will rely on its services business to make up for any lost revenue from the higher production cost. With today’s launch of Apple Creator Studio, it’s clear that Apple is trying to turn a lot of its apps and software into subscription-based services, which maintains a more consistent revenue stream than selling apps like Final Cut Pro as a one-time purchase.
It seems that services and other revenue streams will be very important for Apple going forward, as the company reportedly expects other aspects of smartphone production to also be affected thanks to the AI boom and need for more components from other companies.
The iPhone 18 series is expected to start shipping in the fall of 2026, with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max launching sometime in September alongside the highly-anticipated iPhone Fold. The regular iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 are expected to land in the spring of 2027.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.