Apple's iPhone 18 Pro now starts at $1,199
Engadget compares base iPhone Pro prices from 2019 to 2026, as the RAM crisis and rising component costs push Apple's lineup up by $100 this year.
The facts
- According to Engadget, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 for the 256 GB base model, $100 more than last year's iPhone 17 Pro.
- The iPhone 11 Pro launched in 2019 at $999 for 64 GB, and the base iPhone 16 Pro cost $999 two years ago, per Engadget.
- Engadget links the rises to the RAM crisis and high component prices across the industry, and says Apple's whole iPhone lineup got dearer this year.
- Engadget also lists a $1,999 iPhone Duo foldable and says iPad Pro prices went from $999 to $1,199 in June.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
A phone that cost $999 in 2019 now starts at $1,199, and the storage doubled and doubled again along the way. Part of that is real hardware. Part of it is a component squeeze hitting every maker, not just Apple. If the premium end is getting dearer, the mid-range follows. For buyers in Lagos and elsewhere in Africa, where phones are already paid for in a weak currency, that sticker price bites harder than the dollar figure suggests.
For builders
Pricier flagships mean people hold on to their phones for longer. Test your app on older and cheaper devices, not just the newest iPhone.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from Engadget's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.