Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series may not just introduce hardware upgrades, but could also bring one of the biggest price increases in recent years. A new prediction from market research firm IDC suggests buyers may have to pay considerably more for the Pro models, following Apple’s recent pricing changes for Macs and iPads.
IDC expects a steeper price increase
IDC’s latest forecast indicates that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could see a price increase of as much as $200 over their predecessors. Earlier, the firm had expected Apple to raise prices by around $100 for the Pro models and $50 for the standard iPhone 18. However, after Apple increased Mac and iPad prices by as much as $300 on certain models, IDC’s Senior Director of Data & Analytics, Nabila Popal, believes the iPhone lineup could follow a similar trend.
If IDC’s prediction turns out to be accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro could start between $1,249 and $1,299, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be priced between $1,349 and $1,399. The research firm also expects Apple’s first foldable iPhone to debut this year with an estimated starting price of around $2,500, while higher storage variants could cost as much as $3,000.
According to IDC, rising memory prices are one of the key reasons behind the expected increase. The iPhone 18 Pro models are widely rumoured to feature 12GB of RAM, and the research firm points to Apple’s recent pricing strategy for devices with similar memory configurations. The M4 iPad Air and entry-level M5 iPad Pro both received notable price increases, suggesting Apple may adopt a similar approach for its premium smartphones.
Despite the expected increase, IDC believes demand for the Pro models is unlikely to suffer significantly. The firm says many users with an iPhone 15 or older are expected to upgrade to access Apple’s new Siri AI features, while Pro buyers generally remain less sensitive to higher prices. Monthly instalment plans could also make the increase easier for many customers to absorb.
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