Market research firm IDC has projected the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could cost up to $200 more than their predecessors, pushing the Pro to roughly $1,299 and the Pro Max to around $1,399. Counterpoint Research attributes this to rising NAND flash and DRAM prices, with component costs for the 1TB model climbing by nearly $300, a squeeze industry watchers have dubbed “RAMageddon.”
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2nm A20 Pro Chip Adds to the Cost
The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be Apple’s first device built on TSMC’s 2-nanometer process. Reports indicate 2nm chip pricing runs at least 50 percent higher than the outgoing 3nm process, with per-unit chip costs potentially rising by around 80 percent. The A20 Pro is also rumored to use Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module packaging, integrating RAM directly onto the same wafer as the CPU and GPU for tighter performance and efficiency gains of up to 15 percent speed and 30 percent better power efficiency.
Variable Aperture Camera Debuts
For the first time on any iPhone, the Pro Max is expected to feature a variable aperture main camera, a physically adjustable iris that widens for low light and narrows for greater depth of field in bright conditions. The standard Pro is instead expected to gain enhanced telephoto lenses.
Other Key Upgrades
Additional changes include a smaller Dynamic Island as Apple moves the flood illuminator under the display, a larger battery of around 5,100 to 5,425 mAh, a bigger 24MP front camera, and Apple’s in-house C2 modem replacing Qualcomm on select models.
Launch Timeline
The iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and Apple’s new foldable iPhone are expected to launch in September 2026, with the standard iPhone 18 pushed to spring 2027 as Apple splits its lineup for the first time.
