{"slug": "iphone-18-pro-launches-soon-and-it-might-come-with-a-price-hike", "title": "iPhone 18 Pro launches soon, and it might come with a price hike", "summary": "Apple CEO Tim Cook warned that soaring memory costs make price increases unavoidable for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which are expected to launch this September with upgraded cameras and more RAM for advanced AI features. The company may shift its launch strategy, debuting only the Pro models and a foldable iPhone this year, with the standard iPhone 18 delayed until 2027.", "body_md": "The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. [Why trust us?](/extras/indybest/indybest-about-us-who-team-experts-how-test-review-products-b2229694.html)\n\n# iPhone 18 Pro launches soon, and it might come with a price hike\n\nWe could see a smaller dynamic island on the upcoming smartphone, as well as a DSLR-like camera\n\n- Bookmark\n\nApple’s most AI-centric iPhone is just around the corner. But just a week after the company unveiled iOS 27, it seems fans might be getting much more than a fresh new lick of paint and an upgraded Siri this September. Speaking to *The Wall Street Journal* this week, Apple’s outgoing chief executive Tim Cook warned that soaring memory costs have made price increases “unavoidable”, indicating that the next iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max could cost more than first thought.\n\nDue to launch this autumn, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are predicted to get an upgraded camera, with a variable aperture system for improved low-light photography. They could also boast an increase in RAM to help supercharge even more advanced Apple Intelligence features directly on the device.\n\nApple is expected to completely rethink its launch strategy this September. Reports suggest the company could dedicate this year’s event entirely to the iPhone 18 Pro, and the long-rumoured [iPhone Ultra](/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/iphone-fold-leaks-release-date-b2955476.html), with the standard iPhone 18 potentially delayed until 2027. Here’s everything we know so far about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.** **\n\n**Read more: ****Best refurbished iPhone deals**\n\n## Apple iPhone 18 Pro release date\n\nThe release timeline for the iPhone 18 and subsequent iPhones could look a lot different going forward. In late 2025, the ever-reliable Apple insider Mark Gurman [claimed](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-11-16/apple-s-iphone-road-map-iphone-air-2-iphone-18-mac-pro-future-tesla-carplay-mi1q4l2o) that the company will be moving away from its annual autumnal launch extravaganza. Instead, Gurman claimed it will be spreading its iPhone launches throughout the year.\n\nAccording to Gurman, the reason for the shift is that Apple’s decision to cram everything into September has become burdensome. It gives the company fewer opportunities to spread out revenue across the year, while also straining its marketing and engineering teams and overloading suppliers.\n\nSo Apple’s predicted to shake up its launch window entirely. Gurman says we won’t be seeing the regular iPhone 18 unveiled in September this year. Instead, Apple will only launch the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, as well as its first foldable phone.\n\nThe tech giant is then predicted to launch the regular iPhone 18 in the spring of 2027, alongside the iPhone 18e. There’s precedent for this – we’ve just seen Apple launch the [iPhone 17e](/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/iphone-17e-review-b2934923.html) in March, for example. Gurman says the brand could also launch a follow-up to the [iPhone Air](/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/iphone-air-review-b2828418.html).\n\nAs for the actual release date of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, that’s still fairly easy to predict, given that the date of Apple’s September spectacle isn’t expected to change.\n\nApple almost always announces its new line of smartphones in the second week of September. To give you an idea, the [iPhone 17](/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/apple-iphone-17-review-b2829052.html) was announced on Tuesday 9 September 2025, the [iPhone 16](/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/iphone-16-review-b2621880.html) was announced on Monday 9 September 2024, the [iPhone 15](/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/iphone-15-plus-review-b2418037.html) on Tuesday 5 September 2023, the iPhone 14 on Wednesday 7 September 2022 and the iPhone 13 on Tuesday 14 September 2021.\n\nLabor Day in the US is on Monday 7 September this year, so Apple is unlikely to unveil its latest launches then. I’m expecting Apple to show off the iPhone 18 Pro on either Tuesday 8 September or Wednesday 9 September – most likely the latter, with pre-orders going live on Friday 11 September. The iPhone 18 Pro could then be released on Friday 18 September.\n\n## Apple iPhone 18 Pro price\n\nWhile I always take price increases with a grain of salt, when it comes from Tim Cook himself, it’s no longer just a rumour.\n\nOn 17 June, in an [interview](https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-price-increases-memory-supply-199845b1) with *The Wall Street Journal*, Cook warned that a price hike would be unavoidable. “We're doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we've been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable,” he said.\n\nHe declined to say which products would be affected or by how much, but with the iPhone 18 Pro expected to house even more RAM to power Apple Intelligence features, I wouldn’t be surprised if the flagship handsets see a price increase when it launches later this year. Samsung notably increased the price of the [Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra](/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-review-b2933457.html) this year by £30, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility if the iPhone 18 Pro range received a similar price hike.\n\nThis contrasts with what analysts have been saying all year, however, with analysts previously suggesting Apple will absorb any extra costs. Jeff Pu of GF Securities previously stated that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will cost the same as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. In a February 2026 [research note](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/10/iphone-18-pro-pricing-estimate/) obtained by *MacRumours*, Pu said Apple was looking at keeping the prices the same or similar by focusing on “cost management”.\n\nIn the research note, Pu said Apple had been negotiating with Samsung and SK Hynix to achieve relatively “favourable” memory chip deals, and was looking to lower the costs of other parts, such as the camera and display.\n\nThe pricing prediction was first raised by the ever-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said in January that Apple was looking to keep the price of the iPhone 18 Pro the same as the previous generation.\n\nOn 12 May, MacRumors published a [report](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/05/12/iphone-18-pro-aggressive-pricing-rumor/) claiming that Pu expected Apple to outperform in the smartphone market with an “aggressive pricing strategy” for the iPhone 18 Pro. Pu previously predicted that the starting prices of the iPhone 18 Pro models would either remain unchanged from the iPhone 17 Pro lineup or only increase slightly. We’ll just have to wait and see if a price rise comes to fruition.\n\n## Apple iPhone 18 design and display\n\nWhile the iPhone 17 Pro looked dramatically different to the iPhone 16 Pro, leakers right now are predicting the iPhone 18 Pro will look fairly similar to the iPhone 17 Pro. The biggest design change is that the Dynamic Island will be shrunk slightly, so that it doesn’t take up as much screen real estate.\n\nIn January this year, leaker Ice Universe claimed the Dynamic Island will be 35 per cent narrower than the current version, with a width of around 13.5mm, down from 20.7mm. The leaker shared a mock-up of what that could look like. Ice Universe’s track record has been fairly good for Samsung leaks, but a bit mixed when it comes to Apple.\n\nEarlier rumours suggested Apple was testing a smaller hole-punch cutout instead of a Dynamic Island, with Face ID moving under the screen. This would give the iPhone a screen without interruptions for the first time. However, in January 2026, Weibo leaker Instant Digital stated this had [been a mistranslation](https://weibo.com/5143897135/QnYtwz9Bh), and that there would be no hole-punch cutout instead of a Dynamic Island or under-the-screen Face ID.\n\nInstead, the Face ID flood illuminator is the only component that will be moved under the screen, because it’s relatively small. Display industry analyst Ross Young claims Apple will keep this smaller Dynamic Island until at least 2027.\n\nSeveral leakers have since backed up Ice Universe’s claim. In late March, X account Early Apple shared a supposed prototype image of the iPhone 18 Pro with a shrunken Dynamic Island. The camera flash also appears to illuminate a faint circular area on the display, hinting at the Face ID flood illuminator being hidden under the screen.\n\nIce Universe also claimed in late March that the bezels on the iPhone 18 series will remain the same as the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16, while reiterating that the Dynamic Island will be smaller.\n\nAnother interesting [rumour](https://weibo.com/5143897135/QdpdRxna0) from Instant Digital is that the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be slightly thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and could weigh roughly 243g. If true, it would make it the heaviest iPhone Apple’s ever produced. That’s 10g heavier than the iPhone 17 Pro Max and 3g heavier than the iPhone 14 Pro Max (the current heavyweight record holder).\n\nOther than that, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could look similar to the previous models, boasting 6.3in and 6.9in displays as well as a triple-lens system with the plateau design introduced on the iPhone 17 Pro.\n\nOn 22 April, tech YouTuber Vadim Yuryev shared images of dummy units of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max. And if accurate, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be very different to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. But look a little harder, and you’ll notice that the cameras are a lot thicker, with Yuryev stating the black glass on the cameras protrudes a lot more too.\n\nWhy is this? According to long-held rumours, the camera is going to get a massive upgrade in September, with Apple implementing variable aperture for the first time and improved sensors.\n\nThe first iPhone 18 Pro dummy unit surfaced in late May and early June, giving us a better look at the dark cherry iPhone colourway. While these are just dummy units, they line up with the predicted colour scheme, and come courtesy of TechDroider Clips on YouTube and a [Weibo leaker](https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5304042483877907#&video).\n\nIn early May, South Korean publication *The Elec* [reported](https://www.thelec.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=10214) that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could boast advanced LTPO+ OLED panels supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display. The upgraded screens are said to be more power efficient, which could help boost battery life, while also being less susceptible to burn-in.\n\n## Apple iPhone 18 Pro colours\n\nOne interesting decision Apple made for the iPhone 17 Pro was to give the handsets a two-tone design. Controversially, the glass back for MagSafe charging is a different colour to the aluminium frame, making it look less uniform. Apple is reportedly looking to reduce this contrast for the iPhone 18 Pro.\n\nIn November 2025, Instant Digital [reported](https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5231695562539454) that Apple had changed the phone’s back glass process to help minimise the two-tone look seen on the iPhone 17 Pro, giving the phones a more unified look.\n\nIn late February, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also [claimed](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-02-22/apple-s-ai-wearables-push-what-to-expect-from-march-4-low-end-macbook-launch) that Apple was testing a deep red colour for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Fold. On 11 April, Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station [claimed](https://weibo.com/6048569942/QAjhYFjcC) the same, based on the fact the insider has seen prototypes of Android phones in the same deep red colour.** **\n\nOn 1 May, *Macworld* [claimed](https://www.macworld.com/article/3116701/iphone-18-pro-colors-revealed-exclusive-look-at-apples-2026-models.html) a source familiar with Apple’s supply chain had information regarding the colourways for the upcoming smartphones. According to the publication, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will come in a dark cherry colourway, which it says will be “much closer to wine than fruit punch”. It says that Apple has also been experimenting with a light blue colourway, similar to the iPhone 17’s mist blue, as well as a dark grey. There will also reportedly be a silver colourway to complete the line-up.\n\n## Apple iPhone 18 Pro cameras\n\nOf all the features to receive the biggest shake-up, it’s almost always the camera system\n\nIn December 2024, Ming-Chi Kuo [claimed](https://medium.com/@mingchikuo/be-semiconductor-poised-to-benefit-from-iphone-18-pro-variable-aperture-apple-pcc-high-end-m5-03e0810e52f2) the main rear camera on the iPhone 18 Pro will feature variable aperture for the first time, making it act more like a DSLR camera. Variable aperture would enable iPhone users to control how much light comes through the lens. Kuo claimed Dutch manufacturer BE Semiconductor would supply the assembly equipment used to produce the aperture blades.\n\nSeveral reputable leakers have since corroborated this leak in recent months, with *ETNews* the [latest](https://www.etnews.com/20251015000275) to do so, in October 2025. The iPhones have had fixed apertures for years, so this could be a significant upgrade.\n\nApple is also reportedly testing a new telephoto camera for the iPhone 18 Pro. Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station [claimed](https://weibo.com/6048569942/Qb3zgwSl7) in October last year that the telephoto lens will also feature a larger aperture, being upgraded from the iPhone 17 Pro’s f/2.8 telephoto lens.\n\nAnother (fairly old) leak, from January 2025, comes from Taiwanese publication *DigiTimes*. The publication [claimed](https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20250107PD208.html) that Samsung has developed a new three-layer stacked camera sensor system specifically for the iPhone 18. According to DigiTimes, this would make the iPhone 18’s cameras more responsive and reduce noise.\n\n## Apple iPhone 18 Pro specs\n\nSpec details for the iPhone 18 Pro are still fairly thin on the ground, but several leaks suggest Apple’s next-generation A20 chip will power the devices.\n\nAccording to Jeff Pu, the A20 chip is [expected](https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/03/iphone-18-pro-a20-chip-with-new-design/) to use TSMC’s new 2nm manufacturing process, which could make it up to 15 per cent faster and 30 per cent more efficient than the current A19 chip.\n\nAn August 2025 report from Ming-Chi Kuo also [suggests](https://mingchikuo.craft.me/UeiC07s0qRrd1L) the A20 could use a new chip packaging method that integrates RAM directly with the processor, potentially improving performance for Apple Intelligence features, while freeing up space inside the phone.\n\nBloomberg’s Mark Gurman also [claims](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-06/apple-s-three-year-modem-road-map-company-plans-to-beat-qualcomm-by-2027) iPhone 18 Pro models will feature Apple’s next-generation C2 modem. The chip is expected to improve 5G performance and could add support for mmWave connectivity, bringing it closer to the Qualcomm modems Apple currently uses. Weibo leaker Fixed Digital also suggested, in February 2026, that it could support new satellite connectivity standards, potentially allowing for full internet access over satellite networks when traditional coverage isn’t available.\n\nIn June, Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station also [claimed](https://weibo.com/6048569942/R2dvUmCaQ) the iPhone 18 Pro could feature a slightly larger battery than its predecessor, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max could reportedly jump to between 5,100mAh and 5,200mAh. Both phones could also benefit from Apple's more efficient 2nm A20 chip and next-generation C2 modem, potentially delivering the longest battery life on any iPhone.\n\nI’ll be rounding up all the latest leaks right here on this page as more rumours come in, so stay tuned.\n\n**The best iPhone 17 Pro carrier deals **\n\nDon’t want to wait months to get your hands on a new iPhone? The iPhone 17 Pro is a splendid phone and, right now, it doesn’t look like the upgrade to the iPhone 18 Pro will be massive. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best iPhone 17 Pro carrier deals in the UK.\n\n## iPhone 17 Pro with 100GB data: £53 per month, £39 up-front, [Affordablemobiles.co.uk](http://go.redirectingat.com/?id=44681X1458326&xcust=b2998169&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.affordablemobiles.co.uk%2Fapple%2Fiphone-17-pro-256gb-silver&sref=/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/iphone-18-pro-price-release-date-b2998169.html)\n\nAffordable Mobiles currently has one of the cheapest iPhone 17 Pro deals. You can get the phone with 100GB of data for £53 per month and a £39 up-front cost. The deal is with mobile network Three, meaning you get access to Three+ rewards and free wifi on the London underground.\n\n## iPhone 17 Pro Max with unlimited data: £58 per month, £69 up-front, [Mobilephonesdirect.co.uk](http://redirect.viglink.com?&key=5b1a6400a3c0d931ed2037885e1a27a3&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobilephonesdirect.co.uk%2Fapple%2Fiphone-17-pro-max-256gb-deep-blue&cuid=b2998169)\n\nMobile Phones Direct currently has one of the best iPhone 17 Pro Max deals right now. You can get the iPhone 17 Pro Max with unlimited data for £58 per month with the Three network. You have to pay £69 up-front, but it’s a decent monthly price for an unlimited contract.\n\n**For more, ****we’ve reviewed the latest iPhone 17e to see if it’s worth the price tag**", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/iphone-18-pro-launches-soon-and-it-might-come-with-a-price-hike", "canonical_source": "https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/phones-accessories/iphone-18-pro-price-release-date-b2998169.html", "published_at": "2026-06-18 10:23:26+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-18 10:30:40.338597+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-products", "ai-infrastructure"], "entities": ["Apple", "Tim Cook", "iPhone 18 Pro", "iPhone 18 Pro Max", "Mark Gurman", "iOS 27", "Siri", "Apple Intelligence"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/iphone-18-pro-launches-soon-and-it-might-come-with-a-price-hike", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/iphone-18-pro-launches-soon-and-it-might-come-with-a-price-hike.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/iphone-18-pro-launches-soon-and-it-might-come-with-a-price-hike.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/iphone-18-pro-launches-soon-and-it-might-come-with-a-price-hike.jsonld"}}