DRAM crisis hits Apple as company reportedly failed to secure traditional LTA, iPhone 18 price hike expected

It was only a matter of time till the ongoing DRAM crisis would show its impact on Apple and its production pipeline. If the latest report by a Korean publication is accurate, the Cupertino giant has been unable to secure its traditional deal with DRAM providers Samsung and SK Hynix, which could impact prices for the iPhone 18 series and future Apple devices.

The information comes from ZDNet Korea and it states that Apple was only able to secure an LTA (Long-Term Agreement) for DRAM supply for the first half of 2026. The company gets its DRAM supply from SK Hynix and Samsung, and given the ongoing memory crisis, Apple wasn’t able to get its typical year long deal. This means the iPhone 18 series, expected to start arriving in September this year, could see a price hike.

It is believed that Apple will stagger the iPhone 18 series launch, bringing the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and Fold this year. The base iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e, on the other hand, will arrive in 2027, along with the iPhone Air 2. It is also possible for some of these models to not see a jacked-up price at launch. Similarly, Apple may be able to deliver the iPhone 17e, M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models without the DRAM surcharge.

An earlier post by a known leaker citing data from research firm Omdia showed estimates of 70% price increase for DRAM (LPDDR) and around 100% increase for NAND flash. Another leaker claimed that 12GB LPDDR5X RAM chip prices were between $25 and $29 prior, but then jumped up to $70 because of the high demand. Like most other manufacturers, Apple was unable to escape, and the consequences are going to be felt by the customers starting as early as September this year.