---
title: "iPhone 18 Pro storage upgrade carries more than 300 per cent markup, WSJ finds"
description: "The analysis estimates Apple’s cost for the 256GB to 1TB upgrade at $192, compared with a $600 price increase."
url: https://mactoreality.com/iphone-18-pro-storage-upgrade-carries-more-than-300-per-cent-markup-wsj-finds
published: 2026-11-04T14:13:32Z
updated: 2026-11-04T14:13:32Z
author: "Mac to Reality Newsdesk"
category: Rumours
tags: ["Business & leadership","iPhone"]
publisher: Mac to Reality
ai_assisted: true
apple_heat_impact: -1
---

# iPhone 18 Pro storage upgrade carries more than 300 per cent markup, WSJ finds

*The analysis estimates Apple’s cost for the 256GB to 1TB upgrade at $192, compared with a $600 price increase.*

**Key points**

- Apple charges $600 for the 256GB to 1TB storage upgrade on the iPhone 18 Pro, more than three times its estimated cost of $192, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis.
- The markup is lower than on the iPhone 17 Pro, where a $400 upgrade cost Apple an estimated $42, a nearly 1,000 per cent margin.
- Apple warned in its most recent earnings report that rising memory costs will reduce its holiday quarter profit margins.

Apple charges more than three times its own cost for the highest storage upgrade on the iPhone 18 Pro, according to an analysis first reported by [The Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-iphone-memory-chips-ai-c0084cc9) (via [9to5Mac](https://9to5mac.com/2026/11/04/apple-still-charging-300-of-costs-on-iphone-storage-upgrades-says-wsj/)). The analysis estimates the direct cost of upgrading from 256GB to 1TB at $192, compared with a $600 price increase — a markup of more than 300 per cent.

On the iPhone 17 Pro, the same upgrade cost $400 and Apple’s cost was $42, a nearly 1,000 per cent markup. Apple has historically charged high margins on storage and RAM upgrades, a subject of persistent criticism.

Apple warned in its most recent earnings report that rising memory costs are squeezing its margins and will reduce its holiday quarter profit margins. The company [cut its margin guidance](https://mactoreality.com/apple-cuts-holiday-quarter-margin-guidance-on-memory-costs) for the period. A separate report from SK Hynix [warned](https://mactoreality.com/sk-hynix-warns-apple-faces-memory-price-rises-until-at-least-2030) that Apple faces memory price rises until at least 2030.

## Sources

- [The Wall Street Journal: The Wall Street Journal report](https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-iphone-memory-chips-ai-c0084cc9)
- [9to5Mac: Apple still charging 300% of costs on iPhone storage upgrades, says WSJ](https://9to5mac.com/2026/11/04/apple-still-charging-300-of-costs-on-iphone-storage-upgrades-says-wsj/)

*This report was written by the Mac to Reality newsdesk with AI assistance from the sources listed above, under the editorial policy at https://mactoreality.com/editorial-policy.*