We’ve already seen rumors that iPhone 18 Pro availability may be limited at launch due to the ongoing global memory chip shortage and a new TrendForce report now gives an estimate of how much more expensive the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro might end up being.
The iPhone 18 Pro’s bill of materials (BOM) is expected to rise by up to 38% compared to its predecessor. This is for the 256GB storage version. As TrendForce puts it, higher retail prices for the iPhone 18 Pro are “unavoidable” at this point. Previous estimates suggest the baseline 256GB iPhone 18 Pro will cost as much as $1,399.
As per the new report, the 18 Pro’s memory – RAM and storage will take up to 34% of its total BOM bill. And things are not looking great, as the figure is expected to balloon up to 42% by the first half of 2027. A year ago, the same components accounted for a mere 10% of the iPhone 17 Pro BOM costs.
The one positive outlook is that TrendForce believes Apple will absorb part of the higher costs by reducing its profit margins.
