Apple and Samsung are reportedly heading toward a more expensive memory arrangement for the first quarter of 2027. The figures involve LPDDR5X mobile DRAM at $2.00 per gigabit and NAND flash at $0.33 per gigabit—a development that could put additional pressure on future iPhone pricing. T-Mobile lists the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,199.99 before tax in the United States.
A higher component bill does not automatically become a higher retail price. Apple could absorb some of the increase, pass it on to buyers, or adjust pricing by model and storage tier. The reported memory costs therefore point to possible pressure, not a stated Apple decision to raise iPhone prices again.
Apple and Samsung are reportedly planning higher memory prices
The reported arrangement would take effect in Q1 2027, with Apple paying Samsung $2.00 per gigabit for LPDDR5X and $0.33 per gigabit for NAND flash. LPDDR5X is the fast memory used for a phone’s working data, while NAND is the storage memory that holds apps, photos and files.
The relationship described between the companies covers both types of memory. Other memory manufacturers, including Micron and SK hynix, also participate in the wider mobile-memory market, so Samsung is not established as the sole supplier for every iPhone.
How much could the memory cost change?
The reported Q3 2026 reference prices were $1.50 per gigabit for LPDDR5X and $0.26 per gigabit for NAND. Calculated against those baselines, the proposed figures would produce the following changes:
| Memory type | Q3 2026 reference price | Reported Q1 2027 price | Change |
| LPDDR5X | $1.50 per gigabit | $2.00 per gigabit | Approximately +33.3% |
| NAND flash | $0.26 per gigabit | $0.33 per gigabit | Approximately +26.9% |
The two percentages describe component-price changes, not an equivalent increase in the price of an iPhone. A phone’s final price also reflects its design, manufacturing, software, distribution, taxes and Apple’s pricing strategy.
Why memory costs could affect iPhone prices
Memory is a small part of a phone’s bill compared with the final retail price, but the effect grows when a device carries more RAM or storage. That is especially relevant to high-capacity models, where NAND costs are tied to larger storage configurations.
Apple’s Spanish catalog was reported to have undergone a broad price revision on September 9, 2026. Apple Spain lists the iPhone 18 Pro from €1,469, while a reported comparison places the iPhone 18 Pro Max with 2 TB of storage at €3,119—€650 above the comparable iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2 TB. Those are Spanish prices and do not establish how Apple will price future models in the United States.
The size of those storage-tier changes helps explain why memory costs attract so much attention. A $100 increase in a component contract does not translate mechanically into a $100 increase at checkout, but a more expensive memory supply can give Apple another reason to revisit margins or configuration pricing.
The US iPhone 18 Pro price is $1,199.99 before tax
For US shoppers, T-Mobile lists the iPhone 18 Pro at a full price of $1,199.99 before tax. That is a carrier listing for the US market, while Apple’s prices in Spain and other countries reflect local currencies, taxes and market conditions.
The listed US price is a current reference for the iPhone 18 Pro. It does not establish a future price for a later model or prove that Samsung’s reported memory figures have already changed Apple’s retail pricing.
Will Apple raise iPhone prices again?
A further increase is possible if Apple’s memory costs rise and the company chooses to pass part of that expense to customers. The reported Q1 2027 figures do not, by themselves, determine the retail price of a future iPhone. For now, the concrete US reference remains the $1,199.99 iPhone 18 Pro listing, while the higher Samsung memory prices remain a reported future arrangement.
