Apple’s 2027 iPhone prices may rise again: memory costs climb

New supply-chain reporting has changed the outlook for Apple’s 2027 iPhone pricing. The big reason is memory: Samsung’s costs are heading up, and that adds another layer of pressure to whatever Apple ends up charging for its 2027 iPhones.

According to those supply-chain reports, Apple has accepted Q1 2027 pricing of $2.00 per Gb for DRAM and $0.33 per Gb for NAND. That’s roughly 30% to 40% above current levels, with DRAM climbing from about $1.50. Put plainly, there’s more upward pressure on 2027 iPhone prices, even for something like a possible iPhone 18e. And it comes right after this year’s increases, when Apple Macs and Apple iPads went up by at least $100, at least one Apple device jumped by $1,300, Apple iPhones rose by $100 to $500, and the iPhone Duo landed at $1,999.

If you’re planning an upgrade, keep an eye on this. Datacenter and server demand is pulling supply away from phones. Memory demand is expected to grow 36.2%, while supply growth is projected at 19.3%. Shortages could stretch through H1 2028. On top of that, memory’s share of an Apple iPhone’s bill of materials may rise from 10% to 45% by 2027, and the memory cost for a 256GB handset in Q3 2026 could be nearly four times higher than it was a year earlier.

Apple is also negotiating long-term DRAM and NAND agreements, sometimes without price caps, the reports say. If Apple ends up paying these floor prices, Android rivals will probably face the same pricing, or worse. Smartphone prices are already up 15% this year, and sub-$200 phones are becoming less common. That pressure is likely to show up across Apple’s 2027 lineup, and across competing Android phones too.

Author: Manuel Bosque

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