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Apple will unveil the iPhone 18 Pro on September 9th, and the only number that really matters is still unknown. Three different estimates for the expected price increase are circulating – from a moderate increase to a fifth more. They come from different sources and vary in their reliability.
That the Pro models would become more expensive has been considered a foregone conclusion since early summer. Storage costs have shifted Apple's calculations so significantly that the company adjusted its price list in June for the first time in years – Macs, iPads, HomePods, Apple TV, and the Vision Pro all became more expensive on June 25th, while the iPhone lineup remained unaffected. Thus, the price increase for the iPhone is still pending, and the generational change is the most likely reason for it. How much of a price increase it will be is the open question; the collected expectations for the iPhone 18 Pro so far cover a wide range.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Three different estimates for the surcharge are circulating: an amount of 150 to 200 US dollars, a percentage range of 10 to 20 percent, and a significantly more restrained step oriented towards the competition.
- So far, only the cost side has been documented: The material costs of the 256 GB model are around 38 percent higher than those of the previous generation.
- For the first time, the memory is the most expensive single component in the device, surpassing the processor and display.
- A dollar amount cannot be translated into a euro price – the June round varied completely depending on the device in this country.
- Apple will announce the actual prices on September 9th.
This is documented on the cost side
The only part of the calculation based on verified data concerns not the sales price, but manufacturing costs. According to an analysis by the market research company TrendForce, the material costs of the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro are approximately 38 percent higher than those of the previous year's model. This is driven almost entirely by the storage: its share of the total component costs has risen from about 10 percent to around 34 percent and is expected to climb above 40 percent in the first half of 2027.
This makes storage the most expensive single component in an iPhone for the first time, surpassing both the processor and the display. According to this calculation, storage prices have increased five to sevenfold since the beginning of 2025. How little Apple could do about this was demonstrated in the summer when its attempt to exert pressure through Chinese suppliers proved ineffective.
However, higher costs do not necessarily translate into a specific price. The same analysis assumes that Apple will absorb some of the additional costs through its own margin, rather than passing them on in full – as was the case recently with MacBooks.
Three orders of magnitude, three fundamental principles
The circulating estimates differ not only in amount, but above all in what they are based on.
| Time | Expectation | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| June 18th | $150 to $200 more for the Pro and Pro Max | Cost accounting following Cook's announcement in the interview |
| June 26 | A 10 to 20 percent surcharge; foldable model starts at US$2,099. | Information from the Chinese social network Weibo |
| August 10 | 38 percent higher material costs, price open | Supply chain and storage price data |
| August 24 | A cautious step, modeled on Samsung and Google. | Report from Apple's circle |
The dollar figure is based on an estimate from mid-June, shortly after Tim Cook had indicated that price increases were generally possible. It stems from a cost calculation and not from knowledge of the price list – the company assesses supply chains and does not have access to Apple documents. The second part of this forecast is noteworthy: it assumes that prices for older models will remain unchanged.
The percentage range is of a similar order of magnitude, but has a weaker basis. It has been circulating since the end of June and is based on information from a Chinese social network, along with figures for the foldable iPhone Ultra. Such accounts are generally based on rumors from suppliers, not on calculations; a verifiable track record can only be drawn for a few of them.
The most recent situation is furthest removed from this: at the end of August, a significantly more moderate approach came into focus, because Samsung and Google set the benchmark this year. Apple itself has announced pressure on its gross margin for the current quarter – an indication that some of the additional costs will remain in-house.
The surcharge is not determined in dollars
For buyers in this country, the dollar price is only a rough guide. The June round showed how differently the same cost pressure translates into euro prices: The base iPad jumped from 379 to 499 euros, an increase of around a third; the MacBook Air saw a 200 euro rise, while the MacBook Pro increased by 300 to 600 euros depending on the configuration. No uniform factor can be derived from this.
We therefore expect that the price increase in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will be neither proportional to the dollar value nor uniform across all models – and that the storage upgrades will increase more sharply than the base configuration. This was precisely the pattern in June, when the surcharge for a RAM upgrade and for the 1 TB SSD increased separately from the base price.
In practical terms, this means that until a price list is released, the only reliable figure is the current price of the previous model. The iPhone 17 series is currently being sold unchanged in Germany; an adjustment expected on August 10th has not materialized. If you're planning to buy the current model anyway, you'll have clarity about the price until the keynote – but not necessarily afterward.
Six days until the price list
The guessing game ends on September 9th at 7 PM CEST; the prices will be available immediately after the presentation in the German store, and the keynote can be streamed. Until then, the cost remains the only hard part of the equation, and that ranges from a moderate increase to a fifth more.
Up to what price increase would you be willing to accept for the iPhone 18 Pro – and at what point would the current model be the more sensible choice for you? Let us know your limit in the comments.
