iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models are priced around $100 higher than their predecessors. Similar price increases were observed in the previous iPhone 17 and 16 series, and reports indicate Apple may continue raising prices in coming years.
The reason for these price increases stems from a new agreement with Samsung. According to South Korean reports, Samsung has renegotiated memory (DRAM and NAND) pricing with smartphone manufacturers, and has reached a new pricing agreement with Apple. As a result, starting from the first quarter of 2027, Apple will pay Samsung higher prices for RAM and storage components than previously.
Interestingly, other major smartphone companies Oppo and Vivo have refused to accept Samsung's new pricing terms. This raises questions about which memory supplier they will switch to for their upcoming devices.
Ref: gsmarena
