Apple iPhone 18 base model price likely to increase amid supply issues

Apple, the tech giant based in Cupertino, is expected to launch the iPhone 18 series globally in September 2026. The lineup will consist of the iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Air, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max, all of which are anticipated to stimulate new growth for the company.

The iPhone 18 will likely be more expensive than the iPhone 17, which launched with a higher base storage capacity of 256GB and was priced similarly to the 128GB model. This change led to increased sales of the iPhone 17 base model.

However, current global supply chain issues and geopolitical tensions have driven up manufacturing and shipping costs, forcing Apple to raise the price of the iPhone 18 base model to maintain margins.

In contrast, the iPhone 18 Pro models probably won’t see a price hike, as they still offer significant profit margins that allow Apple to keep their prices competitive despite rising memory costs.

The iPhone 18 Pro is also expected to introduce new colors, including likely blue and magenta, and a reintroduced black variant, with a design similar to the iPhone 17 Pro.

Major upgrades are anticipated in camera and processor performance. The iPhone 18 series is expected to launch in the second week of September 2026, following Apple’s focus on WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference), scheduled for June 8 to June 12, 2026.

During WWDC, Apple will unveil new software for iPhones, Macs, and iPads, offering a preview of what to expect from the iPhone 18 series.