Apple seeks to reduce iPhone 18 Pro price increase
According to PhoneArena, what many users are interested in before the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max is how much more expensive the duo will be compared to the previous generation. Apple has repeatedly said it will adjust prices, while expert Jeff Pu of analyst company GF Securities predicts that the iPhone 18 Pro series could be 250 to 300 USD more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro.
However, Korean site DealSite quoted a source from the supply chain saying that Apple has successfully negotiated a deep discount for Samsung and LG, the suppliers of OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro, despite increased production complexity.
Specifically, the company is expected to pay only about 68 USD for each OLED panel equipped on the 18 Pro Max version, nearly half the cost of 110 to 120 USD that the company had to pay for the screen of the 17 Pro Max.
Despite the price reduction, the two iPhone Pro 2026 models are expected to use more advanced LTPO Plus panel technology. In addition to the ability to flexibly change the scanning frequency, LTPO Plus has a higher response speed and more efficient energy saving, contributing to extending the device's battery life.
Along with "price pressure", Apple is said to also change its supply chain management strategy. ETNews said that in the second quarter of 2026, the company proactively increased the storage time for OLED panels from 4 to 6 weeks, and increased the size of orders larger than usual. Storing components in large quantities helps the company stabilize supply against fluctuations in input material prices.
Negotiating the price of OLED panels is considered an important step for Apple to compensate for the constant price increase of memory chips. Even though the screen price has been halved, experts say the burden of memory chip costs is still too large, making it difficult for Apple to keep the starting price of the iPhone Pro the same as before.
However, instead of the expected increase of about 300 USD, a successful component price squeeze could help adjust the actual increase to a more "comfortable" level, at about 100-200 USD.