Apple will absorb rising memory costs to keep the starting prices of the iPhone 18 lineup the same as those of the iPhone 17 lineup, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says.
Rising memory costs will not affect the prices of iPhone 18 models launching later this year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple is expected to absorb the cost difference and make up for it later through its services, Kuo adds.
For the past several months, memory manufacturers have focused on meeting demand from AI data centers. This has reduced the supply of memory for smartphones and PCs, pushing their prices higher.
Last month, analyst firm IDC forecast that the ongoing issue could raise smartphone prices by up to 6-8% this year.
