Apple might soon have to grapple with a significant cost problem on its priciest handsets, and it’s all thanks to escalating costs of the iPhone 17 Pro range’s memory, according to one new report. The iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and the new iPhone Air were unveiled globally in September, and all three are equipped with 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM.
RAM Prices Reportedly Surge Sharply
The cost of 12GB LPDDR5x RAM has almost tripled since the first supply contract signed with Apple, according to a tech blogger, Lanzuk (@yeuz1122). According to sources in its supply chain, when that deal was originally struck, Apple was paying between $25 and $29 per unit. That same memory module is running approximately $70 per end.
ALSO READ: Realme Pad 3 5G Launch Date In India Set For January 6
These RAM modules are currently being delivered by Samsung to Apple. The sharp rise is said to have raised Apple’s manufacturing costs and comes at a time when smartphone component prices are generally increasing.
Apple Can’t Find Substitutes for Chinese Products Either
To ease its reliance on Samsung, Apple was reportedly considering other suppliers for RAM. Yet Apple has reportedly been unable to find a viable alternative that upholds its performance, volume and quality standards.
Consequently, Apple is now said to be in talks with Samsung about modifying their current supply contract. Although Apple is said to have stockpiled a large amount of RAM in advance, this might be used up if the iPhone 17 Pro series and iPhone Air demand continues.
Recommended For You
Wider Impact on Smartphone Pricing
The dynamic is part of a broader trend happening to smartphone vendors around the world. The increase in BOM cost caused by increased RAM pricing and component shortages, combined with a lack of economies of scale (due to the failed bait-and-switch sales tactic), also makes it hard for OEMs to uphold the aggressive pricing.
Counterpoint, a market insights firm, recently downgraded its 2026 Global Smartphone Shipment Tracker and Forecast to reflect a decrease of 2.1 per cent in global shipments. One of the reasons given is the thing we keep coming back to: Increasing DRAM focus oversupply on partners, squeezing availability for consumer electronics.
Could iPhone Prices Rise Next?
Amid costly memory and tight supply, many smartphone makers are likely to raise device prices. Recent reports claimed that Apple might raise the price of the basic iPhone 17, but those have already been refuted by Apple.
Nonetheless, if the costs of RAM continue to rise unchecked and talks with suppliers don’t lead to a reprieve, Apple may ultimately have no choice in the matter, which could then have ripple effects on pricing new iPhones down the line.