Apple’s Priciest iPhone Ever: Leaks Reveal Shockingly Different Price Tags
Apple’s next iPhone could cost more than $2,000 before storage is even added. That’s just the low estimate.
New leaks suggest the iPhone Ultra may become the priciest iPhone ever made. The estimates swing wildly, from just under $2,000 to more than $3,000.
Some forecasts point to a starting price near $1,999. Others suggest it could top $2,299 right out of the gate, with higher storage models pushing past $3,000.
![The iPhone Ultra could bring a major shift in Apple's smartphone pricing, with estimates ranging from about $1,999 to more than $3,000. [AI generated image]](http://ourdailynewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/4c2bdf9a-6ffa-4a15-bf31-500d8e4c0ab4.png)
That’s a gap of more than $1,000 between the lowest and highest leaks. Storage costs, global shortages and carrier listings are all pulling the estimates in different directions.
TrendForce Predicts Higher Costs
Taiwanese research firm TrendForce says the iPhone Ultra will likely start at $2,099. That estimate is tied directly to rising component costs, not just guesswork.
That price would make it the most expensive iPhone ever sold. It would easily surpass the $1,999 iPhone 17 Pro Max.
TrendForce says shortages are driving up prices across the board. The firm notes that a 256GB storage module now costs 400% more than it did a year ago.
Because of this, TrendForce expects all iPhone models to rise in price by 10% to 20%. The base 256GB iPhone Ultra could cost between $2,099 and $2,299.
Higher storage options are expected to push the price even further. TrendForce believes some configurations, like 1TB or 2TB models, could top $3,000.
The firm suggests Apple may absorb some of these costs itself. This would help the company protect its market share.
TrendForce estimates foldables will make up only about 2% of the global smartphone market in 2026. Still, one forecast predicts Apple could sell 14 million units of the iPhone Ultra in fiscal year 2027.
Carrier Leaks Suggest Lower Price
Not every leak points to a price above $2,000. Recent carrier listings from overseas hint the US price could land closer to the lower end.
Vodafone Egypt briefly listed the iPhone Ultra at 155,750 Egyptian pounds, or a little over $3,000. That figure is harder to compare directly, since currency conversion skews the number.
A more useful comparison is the 75% price gap between that listing and the 88,799 Egyptian pound iPhone 17 Pro. A similar leak in Australia, shared by X user @ev_downunder, showed Vodafone Australia pricing the Ultra at 3,699 Australian dollars, or roughly $2,666.
That figure is about 85% higher than the 1,999 Australian dollar starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro. Using that same percentage gap, the Ultra’s US price could land closer to $1,999.
That would be a smaller jump than the 91% increase suggested by TrendForce’s $2,099 estimate. Either way, the iPhone Ultra is on track to break Apple’s pricing records.
The iPhone X was the first model to cross $1,000 when it launched in 2017. That release marked the device’s tenth anniversary.
Prices have crept steadily higher with each generation since then. A maxed-out iPhone 17 Pro Max already sits just a dollar under $2,000.
With official pricing still unconfirmed, buyers will have to wait for Apple’s announcement. Until then, the wide gap between leaked estimates leaves plenty of room for surprises on launch day.
