Overview
- In a research note published July 31 and Aug 1, GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu forecast that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could start about $250–$300 higher than the iPhone 17 Pro models and downgraded Apple to Hold, warning of “demand uncertainty.”
- Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has publicly described exponential memory price increases as a “100‑year flood,” a company comment that supports analysts’ claims that DRAM and NAND inflation is squeezing hardware margins.
- Supply‑chain leaks and multiple reports continue to place a likely September announcement for the Pro models, with unconfirmed hardware claims pointing to an A20 chip built on TSMC’s 2nm node, larger batteries, a variable‑aperture main camera and a smaller Dynamic Island.
- Published price estimates put U.S. starting prices for the Pro at roughly $1,349–$1,399 and Pro Max at $1,449–$1,499, while regional reports and retailer leaks suggest much larger rises in markets such as India.
- If Apple passes costs through to retail, analysts say the company may face softer upgrade demand and could use a split rollout, supplier negotiations, or financing options to limit sticker shock and protect holiday sales.