The year of smartphone price hikes: iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199

Apple's September 9, 2026 event confirmed it: paying more for your phone is becoming the norm. The new iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299 — each $100 more than its predecessor, The Verge reports. You can't even dodge the hike by buying an older model, since Apple raised those prices by $100 too.

An industry-wide trend

Apple isn't alone. Google followed the same formula with the Pixel 11, priced from $899 versus $799 for the Pixel 10. Samsung did the same with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, launched at $2,099 — $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 it replaced.

The common thread: foldables

This generation has one thing in common: at Apple, Google and Samsung, the new flagships all share a foldable form factor — and a higher price. The Verge sums it up as "the year of smartphone price hikes." For buyers, the message is clear: the high end now costs more, foldable or not.

Source

• The Verge — It's the year of smartphone price hikes