Credit: Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images
We're still three months or more away from the unveiling of the iPhone 18, and outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook likely won't be the one to introduce it (given that John Ternus takes over in September).
But Cook has taken an extraordinary step — and arguably, taken one for Ternus — by warning consumers that this iPhone will be more expensive than its predecessors, thanks to an ongoing memory chip price crunch that won't end anytime soon.
SEE ALSO: Samsung warns memory shortage will be worse next year
"We're doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we've been trying to shield our customers," Cook told the Wall Street Journal in a phone interview.
"But the situation has become unsustainable ... the main point is, unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable."
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Cook, who added that Apple had already been absorbing the cost of higher component prices in 2026, didn't specify which products would be more expensive, or by how much.
But with all eyes on the iPhone 18 launch this fall, it's likely Cook is preparing the ground for Apple's flagship product to pass on some of the extra component costs to customers — with increases as high as $200 above iPhone 17 prices.
SEE ALSO: The latest iPhone 18 news, leaks, and rumors
Apple is still one of the largest customers in the world for memory storage, but AI companies have muscled into the game. A company called Techinsights, cited by the Journal, notes that the memory and storage components inside the iPhone 18 Pro are likely to cost Apple an extra $150 for parts alone, compared to the iPhone 17.
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A recent report claimed that the iPhone Pro 18 would keep its $1,099 price from the iPhone 17 Pro and that Apple would continue to absorb the difference.
Cook, always savvy about Apple's image in the media, appears to want to squash that rumor as soon as possible.
Chris Taylor
(opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)
Chris is a veteran tech, entertainment and culture journalist, author of 'How Star Wars Conquered the Universe,' and co-host of the Doctor Who podcast 'Pull to Open.' Hailing from the U.K., Chris got his start as a sub editor on national newspapers. He moved to the U.S. in 1996, and became senior news writer for Time.com a year later. In 2000, he was named San Francisco bureau chief for Time magazine. He has served as senior editor for Business 2.0, and West Coast editor for Fortune Small Business and Fast Company. Chris is a graduate of Merton College, Oxford and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is also a long-time volunteer at 826 Valencia, the nationwide after-school program co-founded by author Dave Eggers. His book on the history of Star Wars is an international bestseller and has been translated into 11 languages.
Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / Apple
Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Learn more about how we select deals.
TL;DR: The iPhone 17 Pro is available for free with T-Mobile. You can claim by switching to an Experience More or Experience Beyond unlimited plan.
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Opens in a new windowCredit: Apple
Free when you switch to an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in required).
Look, we know the iPhone 17 Pro isn't exactly the shiny new kid on the block. It has spent the last nine months dominating our social media feeds thanks to that distinct camera module and the viral Cosmic Orange finish. But the iPhone 18 launch is looming, and that means carriers are officially entering clearance mode. This is the time for savvy shoppers to shine.
If you don't care about having the absolute newest phone, T-Mobile has launched a massive late-cycle push on this current-gen handset. For a limited time, you can secure the iPhone 17 Pro for free. And you don't even need to trade anything in to qualify.
To score the iPhone 17 Pro for free, you just need to switch carriers and activate a new line on T-Mobile’s Experience More or Experience Beyond plans. If you're already an existing customer, you can get the exact same deal by trading in an eligible handset (like an iPhone 15 Pro) on those same plans.
It's important to note that T-Mobile doesn't just hand over an $1,100 phone without strings attached.
The retail price is financed over 24 consecutive monthly statements, and T-Mobile applies a promotional credit each month to bring that specific line item down to $0. If you decide to bounce to another carrier or try to upgrade early to the iPhone 18 in September, those monthly credits vanish instantly. You will be stuck footing the remaining bill for whatever is left on the phone's 24-month payment cycle.
It was recently announced that only iPhone 17 Pro users will get some of iOS 27's AI tools. If you really want to experience Siri AI's most advanced features, it might be time to upgrade.
Score the iPhone 17 Pro for free with this latest offer from T-Mobile.
Joseph Green
Global Shopping Editor
Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.
Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.
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