Apple iPhone 18 May Ditch Base Storage Model And Cost More To Own: Here’s What Could Change
Apple iPhone 18 May Ditch Base Storage Model And Cost More To Own: Here’s What Could Change
Publish Date: 2026-05-15 06:23:00
Source Domain: www.etvbharat.com
Representational Image (Image Credit: IANS)
Hyderabad: Apple is reportedly expected to switch its iPhone launch strategy this year. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the Cupertino-based tech giant could likely split up the launch of the expected iPhone 18 Series, including the iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, across two events.
Flagship devices such as the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Fold are likely to be launched in September this year. While the more affordable iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, and iPhone 18e could hit the markets by spring 2027. However, the starting prices of the premium iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models are likely to remain the same as their predecessors, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.
According to the Forbes report citing GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, the iPhone 18 Pro will start at $1,099, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be priced from $1,199. Pu mentions that Apple will outperform the competition using this static pricing strategy. The report mentions that the strategy is similar to what Samsung did earlier this year with its latest Galaxy S26 Series. The South Korean tech giant kept the pricing of its most expensive phone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra same as its predecessor Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, the company raised the cost of the base Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus.
With this, Samsung protected the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra from losing sales, as it’s the company’s best-selling phone. While the other two models, Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, witnessed a price hike and took a hit to cover revenue or higher manufacturing costs.
Forbes highlights that Apple also seems to follow the same playbook. The iPhone Pro models are Apple’s best-selling devices in the lineup. The report mentions that when buyers commit to buy a premium smartphone, they tend to go ‘all-in’, in exchange for some form of future proofing.
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