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The iPhone 17 was introduced in September of the previous year, alongside the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The regular model came with many improvements compared to the older version, such as a quicker Apple Silicon A19 processor, a ProMotion screen with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, a dual back camera system with 48 megapixels, and increased basic storage, all with a slight price increase in India. Shortly after it was revealed, rumors regarding its next version started to appear online, indicating that the standard iPhone 18 might maintain its price even with the increasing memory costs. Now, a source suggests that the device might be released with lower-quality parts in order to cut expenses. In a Weibo post, the source known as Fixed-Focus Digital Cameras (translated from Chinese) mentioned that the regular iPhone 18 will come with several downgraded features, affecting its manufacturing method, chip specifications, and RAM. This is thought to be part of Apple's strategy to lower production costs. Additionally, it is said that this model will be more similar to the rumored low-cost iPhone 18e within the iPhone 18 series.

The smartphone market is currently struggling due to the rapid and uncontrolled rise in the cost of smartphone parts, especially related to memory and storage components, such as NAND and RAM. However, a new report has pointed out that Apple intends to release the standard iPhone 18 at the same price as last year's iPhone 17, despite the increasing costs of memory. Unlike what was previously expected, the company was thought to absorb these extra costs, which would negatively impact their profits, while also buying chips in large quantities. To put this in context, the iPhone 17 was launched in India in September 2025, starting at a price of Rs. 82,900 for the basic 256GB version. While this model had a Rs. 3,000 increase in price in India compared to the previous model, its U. S. price stayed the same at $799 (approximately Rs. 71,000), while offering more storage. As mentioned earlier, the iPhone 17 featured several enhancements over the iPhone 16, which was launched in 2024. This smartphone has a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED ProMotion display that supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It is driven by the Apple Silicon A19 processor with a 16-core Neural Engine. Additionally, the back camera system was upgraded to include two 48-megapixel cameras. On the front, the device has an 18-megapixel selfie camera equipped with Centre Stage.