The company is also contending with a supply shortage of the advanced processors that power its iPhone 17, as demand for tech hardware of almost any shape and size from the AI build-out pressures global supply chains.

Apple will try to avoid raising iPhone 18 prices “as much as possible” in the face of a global memory shortage, according to a report from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to Kuo, Apple plans to “absorb the costs” of rising RAM prices, while at least keeping the iPhone 18’s starting price steady.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says a global memory chip shortage is beginning to bite, with rising costs expected to pressure margins ahead.

Rising memory prices threaten smartphone costs in 2026, but Apple could shield the iPhone 18 lineup by absorbing component hikes to stay competitive.

Credit: Shutterstock If your iPhone keeps flashing that dreaded "Storage Almost Full" warning, you're not alone. Between photos, apps, messages, and random files you don't even remember downloading, storage fills up fast.

Apple’s iPhone sales soared to a new quarterly record during the holiday season, despite artificial intelligence blunders that prompted the technology trendsetter to get a helping hand from Google.