Apple iPhone price hike: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max may cost up to Rs 26,000 more; check expected price, new colour, design and features

If you were already bracing yourself for the price of the next iPhone, brace a little harder.

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to arrive in September 2026 with price tags that could be up to $300 higher than their current equivalents, according to multiple analyst estimates and industry reports. In Indian rupee terms, that translates to a potential increase of up to Rs 26,000 on the top-end model, depending on how Apple structures its India pricing.

Apple has not confirmed any of this. But the volume and consistency of reports pointing in this direction is hard to ignore.


iPhone 18 Pro Expected Price in India

The clearest picture on pricing comes from three separate sources, all pointing upward.

According to a Times of India report, IDC has estimated that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at around $1,299 and $1,399 respectively, each up by roughly $200 from current starting prices. The Wall Street Journal has separately reported that the iPhone 18 Pro could begin at $1,399, citing rising RAM costs as a key driver. Counterpoint Research, as cited by Times of India, has gone further, estimating that the 1TB iPhone 18 Pro Max could cost around $300 more than the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro Max, again due to component cost increases.

To put that in context, the iPhone 17 Pro Max currently starts at around Rs 1,34,900 in India at the base storage tier. A $200 to $300 increase at the top end, once taxes, import duties, and Apple's India pricing structure are factored in, could push the ceiling well past Rs 1,60,000.

The cost pressures are largely attributed to two things: the move to a new 2nm chip, which is more expensive to manufacture, and a significant increase in RAM across the Pro lineup, which adds to the bill of materials.

iPhone 18 Pro Design and New Colour

On the outside, the iPhone 18 Pro is not expected to look dramatically different from what came before it. Apple is reportedly keeping the same broad design language, though there are a few changes worth noting.

As reported by Times of India, the chassis is expected to be slightly thicker, and the camera module is also likely to sit a little higher than on current models. Apple is also said to be working on a more unified rear finish, giving the back a cleaner overall look.

The more eye-catching detail is a reported deep red colour option for the Pro models, which would be a new addition to the Pro palette if it makes it to production. Display sizes are expected to stay put at 6.3 inches for the iPhone 18 Pro and 6.9 inches for the Pro Max.

Apple is also said to be working on a smaller Dynamic Island, though Times of India notes there are conflicting reports on whether that particular change arrives this year or gets pushed to a later cycle.

iPhone 18 Pro Camera

The camera system is where the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to make its most meaningful leap.

The headline addition, as reported by Times of India, is a variable-aperture main camera, a feature that lets users control how much light reaches the sensor by physically adjusting the aperture opening. This has been a fixture on high-end Android flagships for some time, and Apple is now reported to be bringing it to the Pro lineup.

The telephoto camera is also expected to receive a larger aperture for improved low-light performance. Times of India further reports that at least one Pro model is set to use a new three-layer stacked image sensor developed by Samsung, designed to improve processing speed and reduce noise in low-light conditions.

iPhone 18 Pro A20 Chip and Battery

Under the hood, the iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to be powered by Apple's A20 chip, built on TSMC's 2nm process. According to Times of India, this would make it one of the first consumer smartphones to use 2nm fabrication technology at scale, promising meaningful gains in both performance and power efficiency over the current A18 Pro.

Some reports, as noted by Times of India, suggest the Pro models could specifically receive an A20 Pro variant with additional performance headroom over the standard A20 that would power the base iPhone 18 models.

Battery life is also expected to improve, particularly on the Pro Max, with efficiency gains from the 2nm chip playing a significant role alongside an expected increase in raw battery capacity.

iPhone 18 Pro Lineup Launch Date

The iPhone 18 Pro lineup will also debut Apple's second-generation C2 modem. Times of India reports the new modem is expected to bring faster 5G connectivity and expanded satellite communication capabilities in select markets, building on the C1 modem Apple introduced with the iPhone 16e.

As for timing, Times of India reports that the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple's first foldable iPhone are all expected to launch together in September 2026, while the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e models are reportedly on a spring 2027 schedule.

(With TOI inputs)