These Apple Products Are Safe From The Recent Price Hike (For Now)

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, which was probably also the best time to stock up on RAM and storage. The massive demand from AI giants has sent memory and storage prices through the roof, and it’s no longer just gamers eyeing new graphics cards who are feeling the pinch. Following a recent price hike, many Apple products have become more expensive. Devices that now start at higher price points include the iPad, MacBook, iMac, Mac Studio, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, and HomePod. While some products like the HomePod mini have become $30 more expensive, fully configured Mac Studio variants have seen staggering price increases of up to $4,200.

Surprisingly, Apple’s best-selling product, the iPhone, hasn’t seen a price hike — at least not yet. The base model iPhone 17, which is equipped with 8GB of RAM, starts at $800, and the budget-oriented iPhone 17e is priced at $600. The more expensive iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max devices start at $1,100 and $1,200, respectively. It’s also good to know that all current-gen iPhone models ship with a base capacity of 256GB, which is a decent amount of storage.

Apple Watch models and AirPods headphones and earphones are also currently unaffected. Of course, accessories like AirTags or the Apple Pencil that do not rely on large amounts of RAM also haven’t seen any price changes. Sadly, though, refurbished Macs and iPads now cost more.

Although the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to have the same RAM capacity as current-gen Pro models, a price hike may be imminent. Information shared by an IDC analyst to Tom’s Guide suggests that Apple might increase the price of upcoming iPhone models by as much as $200. A starting price of $1,300 for the iPhone 18 Pro and $1,400 for the larger iPhone 18 Pro Max would be a tough pill to swallow. Reports initially pointed to a $50 or $100 price increase, but given how much Apple has bumped up the prices of its Macs, a $200 increase doesn’t seem as far-fetched.

Apple is also rumored to launch its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Fold, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series later this year. As if the sophisticated engineering behind a foldable wasn’t already expected to drive up costs, the current situation with memory prices skyrocketing is more than likely to push prices even higher. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo speculates the iPhone Fold may cost as much as $2,500.

If you’re looking for a solid smartphone from Apple, now’s the time to grab an iPhone. Although Siri AI will be available for all current-gen models with iOS 27, the expensive iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air devices that ship with 12GB of RAM get access to a more powerful on-device AI model.