Cook confirms rising costs! iPhone 18 Pro price increase is a done deal.

Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the company will raise product prices due to a significant increase in the cost of memory and storage chips. Cook admitted that the company can no longer absorb the increased component costs itself and will have to pass some of the cost pressure on to consumers.

However, Cook did not disclose which specific product lines would see price increases, nor did he announce the magnitude of the price adjustments. The market generally expects the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, to be released this September, to be priced higher than the previous generation iPhone 17 Pro series. iPads and Macs may also see price increases in the near future.

The root cause of this round of price increases lies in the fact that the global DRAM market is monopolized by Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron. The explosive growth of the AI ​​industry has led to a significant squeeze on production capacity by high-bandwidth memory, resulting in a reduction in the chip supply for consumer electronics. DRAM and NAND chip prices have increased several times since 2024.

The well-known tech blogger “Digital Chat Station” stated that the iPhone 18 Pro series features a 48MP ultra-large sensor variable aperture main camera, a new chip built on a 2nm process, high-speed memory, and a larger capacity battery. These comprehensive hardware upgrades mean that the material costs will be significantly higher than the previous generation.

According to foreign media estimates based on current component prices, if Apple chooses to maintain its current profit margin, the Pro models may need to increase in price by about $270, which is equivalent to about 1,820 yuan.

Editor’s Review:

Cook’s public statement is extremely rare, essentially managing expectations for price increases in the new product in advance, and also indirectly confirming the severity of cost pressures. Although the surge in demand for memory chips driven by the AI ​​wave is an objective reality, Apple’s practice of passing on costs to consumers will undoubtedly test users’ bottom line regarding the Pro version’s price tag of over 10,000 yuan.

Looking back, every time the price of iPhones crosses a round number, it causes market pain. If the increase this time is indeed close to 1,820 yuan, it may not only suppress the demand for upgrading, but also leave an opportunity for high-end Android models.