GoKawiilTrendForce: Apple's iPhone 18 Pro memory costs to jump nearly 400%
TrendForce reports that Apple's memory component costs for the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro will be almost four times higher in Q3 2026 than a year earlier. The firm expects Apple to absorb much of that increase rather than fully pass it to consumers, projecting only around a $100 price hike over the iPhone 17 Pro, while leaning more on Services revenue to cushion margins.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Steep memory pricing squeezes Apple's hardware margins at a time when consumers are already spending cautiously amid a weak macro environment, making aggressive price hikes risky for upgrade cycles. This also signals why Apple is increasingly counting on Services as a buffer against volatile component costs, and hints at even steeper pricing for premium devices like the rumored folding iPhone Ultra.
- iPhone 18 Pro memory costs could rise nearly 400% year-over-year, per TrendForce.
- Apple is expected to raise iPhone prices by roughly $100 rather than fully reflecting cost increases.
- The folding iPhone Ultra could start near $2,299, with top configurations topping $3,000.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD — If on-device storage is about to get pricier, offloading photos and video to a rugged pocket SSD is a smart hedge. The SanDisk Extreme Portable connects to iPhone and Mac over USB-C and slips into a jacket pocket, so you can stick with a smaller-capacity phone without sweating the storage bar.
See SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: 9to5mac.com — Ben Lovejoy, 2026-09-03
Published there as: “Apple paying 400% more for iPhone 18 Pro memory, says TrendForce”
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