According to market research firm TrendForce, Apple is likely to raise prices for its next generation of premium iPhones, due to be unveiled next week, based on recent movements in hardware component costs.

TrendForce said a 10-20% increase would be consistent with the 14-18% range it forecast in June, while also fitting Apple’s customary pricing structure.

If that scenario plays out, consumers could have to pay an additional US$150-200 for each Pro model.

Notably, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, rumored to be called the “iPhone Ultra,” could carry a starting price of between US$2,099 and US$2,299.

The model with the highest storage capacity could even exceed US$3,000. Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 18 is reportedly set to have its launch pushed back to spring 2027 and could also see a price increase of 10-20%.

The main factor driving device prices higher is memory chips. TrendForce data shows that the price of 256GB memory chips has surged nearly 400% from a year earlier.

A separate analysis by the research firm also indicates that the total bill of materials, or BOM, for a 256GB iPhone Pro has risen by around 38%.

Even so, analysts believe Apple may be willing to accept narrower profit margins and absorb part of the additional cost rather than pass the entire burden on to consumers.

Last year, Apple kept the price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max unchanged and raised the price of the iPhone 17 Pro by only US$100 in the US market.

This year, however, the accelerating race to build AI infrastructure has pushed memory prices to record highs, placing mounting cost pressure on the entire consumer electronics industry, with little sign of easing in the near term.

Apple will announce official pricing for its new product lineup at its “Surprise and shine” event on September 9, or midnight September 10 Vietnam time.

Du Lam