Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max, expected to launch later this year, may end up costing considerably more than it's predecessor, according to multiple industry estimates.
The current iPhone 17 Pro Max currently starts at Rs 1,49,900 in India for its base storage variant, and reports tracking supply chain data suggest the 18 Pro Max could start anywhere between Rs 1,59,900 and Rs 1,69,900, a jump of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on how much of the added production cost Apple decides to pass on to buyers.
Higher-End Storage Models Could See Steeper Hikes
The gap is expected to widen further at the top end of the lineup. Some estimates suggest the 1TB storage variant of the iPhone 18 Pro Max could cost around Rs 30,000 more than the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro Max model, with Apple likely to price higher-capacity versions more aggressively to offset rising manufacturing costs rather than raising prices uniformly across the range.
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New Chip Manufacturing Process Behind The Cost Jump
Much of the anticipated price increase is being linked to Apple's next flagship processor, reportedly built on an advanced 2-nanometre manufacturing process. Chips built on smaller nodes typically deliver better performance and power efficiency, but they are also considerably more expensive to produce at scale, and that added cost is expected to filter down to the final retail price. This would not be the first such move by the company this year. Apple has already raised prices on several other products sold in India, including Macs and iPads, citing higher component costs as the primary driver.
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Display And Design Expected To Stay Largely Unchanged
On the hardware front, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to retain a large OLED display similar in size to its predecessor, with incremental improvements to brightness and power efficiency rather than a dramatic redesign. Apple typically unveils its new iPhone lineup at an annual September event, and the iPhone 18 series is widely expected to follow that pattern in 2026.
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