- Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro price jump reflects market dominance.
- Company holds commanding share of high-income smartphone segment.
- Rising chip costs elevate prices, yet premium sales grow.
iPhone 18 Leaks: Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro is reportedly set to launch at $1,399 (roughly Rs 1,32,375 ), a $300 (almost Rs 30,000) jump from its predecessor, yet the company seems unfazed by the possibility of pushback. Unlike Samsung, which has had to adjust shipment plans to avoid alienating budget-conscious buyers, Apple’s customer base appears far less price sensitive, largely because of who’s actually buying its phones.
This pricing confidence isn’t new for Apple, but it does raise questions about how far the company can keep pushing costs upward before even its most devoted users start to feel the pinch on their wallets.
Why Can Apple Get Away With Raising iPhone Prices?
A report by The Wall Street Journal explains that Apple has a firm grip on the high-income segment of the smartphone market, which is why a price hike doesn’t worry the company much. In 2025, Apple and Samsung were fairly close in total smartphone shipments, with Apple at 247.2 million units and Samsung at 240.9 million.
But that gap grows significantly once you look at premium phones priced above $600. Apple shipped 219.8 million units in that category compared to Samsung’s 60.4 million, giving it roughly two-thirds of the premium market.
ALSO READ: Got A GTA 6 Early Access Email? One Click Could Empty Your Bank Account
The difference becomes even more striking at the very top. iPhones make up three-quarters of all smartphones sold for $1,000 or more, with Samsung, Huawei and Google splitting what’s left. Apple also takes home 66% of the entire smartphone industry’s gross profit, dwarfing Samsung’s 12% and Xiaomi’s 2%.
In the first quarter of 2026, Apple’s newest iPhones took the top three spots for best-selling phones, and even the older iPhone 16 cracked the top five.
Is The Price Hike Linked To Memory Costs?
Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed to rising memory chip costs as the main reason behind the price increase, calling it unavoidable.
Several competitors have already followed suit, and most new phones launching this year are expected to cost more than last year’s models. Because of this, overall smartphone shipments are projected to fall 14%, dropping from 1.26 billion units in 2025 to 1.09 billion in 2026.
ALSO READ: Redmi A7 Pro Review: Forgot It Was A Budget Phone Until It Froze On Me
Interestingly, the premium segment is expected to move in the opposite direction. Even though it makes up about a quarter of global shipments, sales in this category are projected to rise 3.5%, going from 361 million units to 374 million.
Still, Apple isn’t entirely immune to criticism. Its slower pace on AI features and continued absence from the foldable phone race haven’t gone unnoticed. Loyal customers will likely buy the iPhone 18 Pro regardless of cost, but this could be the year more casual buyers start reconsidering.
