Apple has reportedly secured much lower OLED display prices for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models as rising memory costs put more pressure on iPhone production. The company is pushing suppliers to cut component prices as expensive RAM chips increase the cost of building its next flagship phones.
South Korea’s DealSite reports that Apple will pay Samsung Display and LG Display around $68 for each OLED panel used in the iPhone 18 Pro Max, compared with roughly $110 to $120 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max panel.
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The reported reduction means Apple is paying around $42 to $52 less per Pro Max display, giving the company room to offset some of the higher memory costs affecting the iPhone 18 lineup.
Apple is cutting other component costs as RAM gets expensive
Demand from AI data centers has pushed memory prices higher, including mobile memory used inside smartphones. Apple is now reportedly negotiating lower prices for components such as displays as it tries to control the overall manufacturing cost of the iPhone 18 series.
South Korea’s The Elec previously reported that Apple was negotiating lower OLED prices with its suppliers as memory costs continued to rise.
The negotiations come even as Apple reportedly plans to use more advanced LTPO Plus display technology for the iPhone 18 Pro models, which is expected to improve power efficiency while increasing manufacturing complexity.
Apple still faces the possibility of higher iPhone 18 Pro prices despite its cheaper displays. Current market estimates suggest U.S. starting prices could increase by $200 to $300, potentially putting the iPhone 18 Pro at up to $1,399 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at up to $1,499.
Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro lineup alongside its first foldable iPhone in September, when the company will confirm final pricing.
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