Price Increase Across the Pro Lineup

Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its September 2026 launch event, with the Pro model arriving at a price point $100 above that of the iPhone 17 Pro. The price increase was not framed by Apple as a limited promotion or regional adjustment, but as part of the new generation's standard pricing.

The higher price accompanies Apple's annual refresh cycle, in which the Pro tier typically absorbs the most significant hardware upgrades. The company's newsroom materials for the launch presented the iPhone 18 Pro color lineup and product imagery as part of the September announcement.

No Official Explanation Detail Provided

Apple's announcement materials reviewed for this report did not include a detailed public breakdown attributing the $100 increase to specific cost factors, such as component pricing, memory costs, or tariff effects. Consumers comparing the two generations will therefore see the difference primarily as a straight price step-up at launch.

The premium smartphone segment has been subject to rising bill-of-materials costs in recent years, and Apple's Pro tier has historically served as the brand's price leader. Whether the $100 increase extends beyond the initial launch pricing or applies uniformly across all storage configurations and markets remains outside the scope of the reviewed materials.

Market Context

For buyers in Korea and other major markets, the change means the entry cost to Apple's flagship Pro experience rises by roughly the price of a mid-range accessory bundle. The increase may influence upgrade timing for users holding iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 Pro models, particularly those weighing trade-in values against the higher sticker price.

No details on Korean-market pricing or local carrier subsidies were included in the reviewed materials, so the won-denominated impact for Korean consumers remains unconfirmed.

The claim that the iPhone 18 Pro is $100 more expensive than its predecessor is True.