60%
Plausible
The Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) between Apple, Samsung, and SK hynix for DRAM supply were rumored to expire in January of this year, and given that no firm is safe from this crisis, it could ultimately mean a price hike for a multitude of the Cupertino firm’s products, including the iPhone 18 series. Now, while Apple might have obtained a mastery in securing deals that other companies can only dream of, a new report states that the LTAs for DRAM supply only cover the first half of 2026. As for the second half, consumers will likely have to prepare their wallets for the premium they will eventually fork over.
Some relief could be offered to Apple regarding the millions of iPhones it ships, but the higher-storage variants of the iPhone 18 have been rumored to become more expensive
As mobile DRAM and NAND flash memory are estimated to become 70 percent and 100 percent more expensive, respectively, there’s only so much that Apple can negotiate to obtain the best prices. At present, the California-based titan is reportedly paying $70 per 12GB LPDDR5X RAM unit, marking a 230 percent premium compared to what the price was at the start of 2025. As for inking DRAM deals with suppliers, it appears that sending Apple executives to book long-term overseas hotel stays might have paid off, but not as well as the company might have hoped.
An unnamed source close to Apple’s plans has said that the latter typically enters into LTAs for memory that last for an entire year, but on this occasion, the company has only completed negotiations that cover the first half of 2026. Products like the iPhone 17e, refreshed MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max upgrades might be protected from the price hike, but as mentioned above, the iPhone 18 lineup may fall victim, especially the higher-storage models.
Additionally, the redesigned OLED M6 MacBook Pro may also become significantly more expensive, not just thanks to switching from mini-LED, but a slew of other changes, plus the DRAM and NAND flash price bumps. In short, it isn’t going to be an easy year for any company except for manufacturers like Samsung, SK hynix, and others, so any hardware upgrades that you’ve planned for this year are going to put a significant dent in your savings.
News Source: ZDNet
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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