[DigitalToday intern reporter Seung-a Yoo (유승아)] Apple's next iPhone lineup is expected to be unveiled in September, centered on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, along with a new foldable iPhone.

On July 18 (local time), IT outlet 9to5Mac reported that the base iPhone 18 has reportedly been moved to a spring launch schedule rather than this fall.

The core of the change is a reshuffled lineup and pricing. Apple is expected to change the release pattern for base and Pro models, which it has launched at the same time, and focus on higher-end models in September this year. Market attention is shifting from new features to how much prices for the Pro lineup will rise.

The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to emphasize incremental improvements rather than major changes from its predecessor. The Dynamic Island is expected to get smaller, and the main camera is seen adding a feature to adjust the aperture variably. That would allow more precise control of depth of field. Colors are also expected to change, and the possibility of adding a red-toned model was raised.

Connectivity is also expected to be updated. The Pro models are expected to be the first to use Apple's C2 modem. The modem is expected to support 5G connections via satellite. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to become thicker, with a large increase in battery capacity. Some also see a potentially large improvement in battery performance when combined with the C2 modem.

Key components are also expected to be replaced. The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to include a first-generation 2-nanometer-based A20 Pro chip and an N2 networking chip. Memory, however, is likely to remain at 12GB, the same as the previous model. Apple is also reported to be redesigning camera controls to reduce accidental presses.

The issue is price. Apple has already raised prices sharply for its iPad and Mac lineups and has signaled the possibility of additional increases. Against that backdrop, expectations are growing that price hikes for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup are all but certain.

The size of any increase has not been finalized. Some estimates cite hikes of up to 300 dollars, about 440,000 won. The base iPhone 18 Pro was suggested at 1,399 dollars, about 2.07 million won, from 1,199 dollars, about 1.8 million won. The iPhone 18 Pro Max was suggested at 1,499 dollars, about 2.2 million won, from 1,299 dollars, about 1.9 million won. It was also noted that Apple could lower the size of any increase by absorbing part of the margin hit.

As the price burden grows, comparisons are naturally shifting to the iPhone 17 Pro. At current prices, the iPhone 17 Pro costs 1.79 million won and the iPhone 17 Pro Max costs 1.99 million won. The iPhone 17 Pro is seen as broadly similar as a choice when buying a new phone, and its pricing is viewed as difficult to argue with.

Especially for users on older iPhones, another view is that choosing last year's Pro model could be more reasonable than waiting for the new model at this upgrade point. The judgment is that the current price advantage is larger even given that it is late in the product cycle.

Underlying this is pressure from component costs. An observation is that the burden on memory supply triggered by the expansion of artificial intelligence data centers could persist for several more years. With Apple product prices potentially unlikely to fall again in the short term, price resistance is expected to emerge as a bigger variable for iPhone demand in the second half than new features.