Apple iPhone prices to climb again in 2027

Thought the iPhone was expensive now? Brace yourself, because the chip deal Apple just reportedly signed could make this year's price hikes look mild by comparison.

The root cause isn't Apple's pricing strategy; it's memory chips. Data centres building out AI infrastructure are buying up so much memory supply that wholesale prices have surged, and manufacturers across the board are passing those costs on to consumers.

Apple held out longer than most, but in June it raised prices on every Mac and iPad by at least $100, with one model jumping by as much as $1,300. Earlier this month, iPhones got the same treatment, with increases ranging from $100 to $500 depending on the model.

According to leaker Semiconductor Insider, Samsung recently gave Apple a quote for memory supply in the first quarter of 2027, with DRAM priced around $2 per Gb and NAND at $0.33 per Gb. Those figures represent a 30 to 40% jump over current rates.

However, DigiTimes, a source known to sometimes have trouble with Apple product leaks but better at leaks regarding suppliers, claims that Apple has already accepted this increased price this week.

Typically, Apple does not eat into their margins, instead shifting these costs to the consumer side. This makes it difficult for iPhones released at that time because the iPhone 18 and 18e, the more budget-friendly ones, will be launched in the spring of 2027. Should the starting price for the 18e go up close to $799, the "budget" part becomes a bit of a joke.