Apple's Iphone 18 Launch Plans and Price Hikes Revealed
WHO:
Forbes - Tim Cook, current CEO of Apple, will hand over the position to John Ternus on September 1.
MacRumors - Jeff Pu, an analyst at GF Securities.
WHAT:
Forbes - The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to have a starting price around $1,399, with the Pro Max priced between $1,449 and $1,499.
MacRumors - The first foldable iPhone is expected to cost north of $2,000.
Forbes - Apple is expected to hold a keynote on September 9 to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
MacRumors - The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could be priced $250-$300 higher than the iPhone 17 Pro models.
MacRumors - The current starting prices for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are $1,099 and $1,199, respectively.
Forbes - Apple plans to launch its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Forbes - The iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 are expected to launch in spring 2027.
WHERE:
Forbes - The keynote event is expected to take place at Apple's headquarters.
WHEN:
Forbes - The iPhone 18 Pro models and the first foldable iPhone are expected to be unveiled on September 9.
Forbes - The iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 are expected to launch in spring 2027.
WHY:
MacRumors - Price increases for the iPhone 18 Pro models are attributed to higher costs for the A20 Pro chip, LPDDR5X memory, and NAND storage, which are expected to be approximately three times more expensive than last year.
MacRumors - Price increases for the iPhone 18 Pro models are attributed to higher silicon and memory costs due to global component shortages.
Forbes - Tim Cook mentioned that the market pricing for memory is expected to continue increasing, impacting Apple's business.
HOW:
9to5Mac - The price hikes are driven by skyrocketing component costs for RAM, storage, and the device’s new camera system.
MacRumors - The price hikes are driven by higher costs of 2nm silicon and DRAM/NAND components.
(UPDATED August 1, 2026 13:23 UTC)
The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is anticipated to start at around $1,399, while the Pro Max could range from $1,449 to $1,499, with the first foldable iPhone expected to exceed $2,000. These price increases are largely due to the rising costs of the A20 Pro chip, LPDDR5X memory, and NAND storage, which are projected to be about three times more expensive than last year's components. Additionally, the hikes are influenced by soaring prices for RAM, storage, and the new camera system in these models.
--
(UPDATED August 1, 2026 10:29 UTC)
Tim Cook, the current CEO of Apple, will pass the leadership to John Ternus on September 1. Apple is set to hold a keynote at its headquarters on September 9, where it will unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which may be priced $250 to $300 higher than the iPhone 17 Pro models due to rising costs of silicon and memory. Additionally, the company plans to launch its first foldable iPhone alongside these new models, while the iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 are expected to debut in spring 2027.