Apple may earn less per iPhone 18 Pro Max despite higher prices
Apple may earn less per iPhone 18 Pro Max despite higher prices
Publish Date: 2026-07-11 03:29:00
Source Domain: vietnamnet.vn
However, analysts say that even with a substantial price increase, Apple’s profit on each device could still be lower than it earns from the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
For months, industry sources have predicted that both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will debut at considerably higher starting prices than the iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
Some analysts estimate the increase could range from US$200 to US$300, prompting speculation that Apple is simply seeking to maximize profits.
A new analysis published by Counterpoint Research, however, suggests a different explanation.
According to the report, the primary reason for the anticipated price increase is not higher profit targets but rapidly rising component costs.
Memory prices emerge as the biggest cost driver
The global semiconductor market has seen sharp price increases for NAND flash and DRAM memory chips this year.
The trend has affected a wide range of products, including Android smartphones, tablets and Apple’s own iPad and Mac product lines.
According to Counterpoint Research, memory has become the fastest-rising cost component in premium smartphones, placing significant pressure on Apple ahead of the iPhone 18 Pro Max launch.
In previous generations, Apple benefited from declining component prices.
The 256GB iPhone 17 Pro Max is estimated to have a bill of materials of about US$410, compared with US$485 for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and US$453 for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Although these figures represent estimated hardware costs rather than total manufacturing expenses, they indicate that Apple has enjoyed meaningful savings on components in recent years.
Component costs could exceed US$800
That trend is expected to reverse with the next-generation iPhone.
Counterpoint Research said it is still too early to determine the exact production cost of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, but preliminary estimates suggest the 1TB model could have a bill of materials exceeding US$800.
That would represent a dramatic increase from…
