Analysts say the AI boom is increasing costs for memory chips, which could raise prices for upcoming iPhones, including iPhone 18, and keep smartphone prices elevated for an extended period.
The reports link higher memory-chip costs to broader demand for AI-related computing and components used in devices. They add that these cost pressures can flow through the supply chain to handset makers and retailers, potentially affecting both new releases and the wider smartphone market. While the outlet’s focus is on iPhone pricing, the underlying issue is described as a component cost trend rather than a single-country or single-model pricing decision.
Across the coverage, the main differing emphasis is on timing and impact: NDTV frames the risk as both near-term—potentially influencing iPhone 18 pricing—and longer-term—suggesting smartphone affordability may remain constrained as high memory-chip costs persist.
