This year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could see a price increase of $250-$300 compared to current iPhone 17 Pro models. Analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities attributes this potential hike to rising costs for 2nm silicon and DRAM/NAND memory, exacerbated by global component shortages due to AI infrastructure buildout.

Currently, the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 and the Pro Max at $1,199. While Apple recently increased prices for iPads, Macs, and other devices, iPhones were spared. Pu suggests these potential price hikes for the next-generation Pro models could lead to "demand uncertainty," prompting him to downgrade AAPL stock from buy to hold.

This contrasts with an earlier assessment in May where Pu believed Apple might price the iPhone 18 Pro models "aggressively." Apple CEO Tim Cook has not commented on future iPhone pricing. This September, alongside the Pro models, Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone, rumored to cost over $2,000.