A third independent supply chain analysis is now pointing in the same direction as the previous two: the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be more expensive at launch. In addition, Apple might have to settle for a slightly thinner margin on the device than it usually charges for other products.
Counterpoint Research’s bill-of-materials estimate for the 12GB plus 1TB iPhone 18 Pro Max shows a cost rise of nearly $300 compared to the same configuration in the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
So what does Counterpoint’s analysis actually show?
As shown in the infographic, display and other components may actually come in cheaper for Apple. However, the new 2nm chipset and the improved camera setup are also contributing toward the revised bill-of-materials estimate.
However, none of their contribution is as heavy as the memory and storage. The infographic doesn’t provide comparative numbers, but the graph indicates that both the NAND and DRAM costs have increased multifolds.
To give you some context, this is the third time a major analyst firm has flagged a significant iPhone 18 Pro Max price increase: WSJ and TechInsights were first, then IDC’s Nabila Popal.
Will Apple pass the full $300 bill on to buyers?
Almost certainly, yes, but not to everyone. Remember, it’s the top-tier iPhone 18 Pro Max, with 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, that is expected to see a $300 price increase at Apple. Hence, for this model, Apple may pass along the rise in component costs to its customers as a $300 price hike, depending on how aggressively it wants to protect the product’s gross margin.
At $1,599 today, a $300 hike on the 1TB iPhone 18 Pro Max would push it to $1,899, which sounds wild to me. For other variants, including those with 256GB and 512GB of storage, the price increase could be $100 to $200.
Even if the exact numbers vary by the time Apple actually releases the iPhone 18 Pro in September this year, one thing seems increasingly sure: you won’t see the iPhone 18 Pro models debut at the same price as the iPhone 17 Pro did in 2025.
