It’s the year of smartphone price hikes

<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Photo: Nilay Patel / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/268735_iPhone_18_Pro_NPatel_0005.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Paying more for a new phone seems almost unavoidable after Apple's event today. The new <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/986331/apple-iphone-18-pro-max-september-2026-event">iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max</a> start at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively - a $100 price hike over their predecessors. You can't dodge the price hike by opting for an older iPhone, either, because <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/992551/apple-iphone-17-17e-air-price-increase">Apple raised prices on those by $100, too</a>. And it's not just Apple. This year, the $100 price hike has been a trend across the industry. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google and Samsung followed the same formula as Apple when they each launched new phones over the past few months. The <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/978013/google-pixel-11-series-hands-on-hardware-software">Pixel 11</a> starts at $899, up from $799 for last year's Pixel 10. The <a href="https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/968200/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-8-ultra-announced-hands-on-photos">Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra</a> launched at $2,099, $1 …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/993005/smartphone-price-hikes-apple-iphone-18-pro">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>