Apple is expected to significantly increase the prices of its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. However, during this round of price increases, the manufacturer has "hiddenly downgraded" the flash memory specifications of the high-capacity versions, making the configurations of the 1TB and 2TB versions less attractive than the 256GB and 512GB versions. According to the whistleblower Reptalica, the 256GB and 512GB models of iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max use TLC NAND flash memory from SK hynix, Kioxia and SanDisk, while the 1TB and 2TB models are mainly replaced by QLC NAND flash memory.
From a technical perspective, TLC NAND (Triple-Level Cell) can store three bits of data per unit. In contrast, QLC NAND (Quad-Level Cell) can store four bits of data per unit, but this is often at the expense of writing speed and stability. TLC generally has faster and more consistent write performance, and is better than QLC in terms of durability and therefore costs more; QLC is known for its higher storage density and lower cost per GB, but has slower write speeds and more volatile performance.
In the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series, it is reported that the 1TB version mainly uses SK hynix’s BC8Q-1T QLC NAND, and Samsung 3DV8 1TB TLC NAND only appears as a “small amount of alternative” solutions. This means that even if users pay a higher price for the 1TB high-end model, the core storage media they receive is degraded in terms of theoretical performance and durability. This approach is described as an obvious "dark degradation" because QLC usually lags behind TLC in terms of writing speed and stability. If consumers purchase such high-end models but randomly receive slower flash memory particles, it may have an impact on both experience and psychological expectations.
For the 2TB version, the situation is considered even more severe. Reports indicate that Apple is using SK hynix’s BC8Q-2T QLC NAND in the 2TB iPhone 18 Pro Duo, an “enterprise-only” design whose random 4K performance was described as “going to be really bad.” It should be noted that the current 2TB version of iPhone 17 Pro Max still uses TLC NAND, which is more consistent with the positioning of flagship high-capacity models and is also in line with the market’s general expectation that high-end models “cannot shrink” in terms of storage specifications.
As for why Apple chose QLC for this generation of high-capacity models instead of continuing the TLC configuration of the previous generation, reports pointed to cost pressure. Previous news said that the cost of flash memory for the 256GB version of the iPhone 18 Pro will jump from US$13 per unit to US$51 for the same-capacity version of the iPhone 17 Pro, almost multiple times. Against the background of tight supply and demand for global memory chips, it is not surprising that Apple is forced to "compromise" on purchase prices. Manufacturers are also believed to be using technical solutions to reduce costs as much as possible to avoid excessive erosion of profit margins by soaring costs.
However, even in the face of cost pressure, Apple still adheres to a high-price strategy in terms of terminal selling prices. The report quoted forecasts from research institutions as saying that the starting prices of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to be US$1,399 and US$1,499 respectively. In such a price range, the high-capacity version was exposed to use cheaper and more unstable QLC NAND as the core storage medium. This "dark downgrade" move was questioned and lacked a reasonable explanation, unless Apple just wanted to maintain extremely high profit margins. In the eyes of consumers, high-capacity models have always been regarded as a symbol of "complete flagships", but now they may not be as good as mid-capacity versions in actual experience. This has also led industry observers to make sharper criticisms of Apple's product strategy.
From a broader supply chain perspective, Apple has continued to respond to rising storage costs and geopolitical restrictions by adjusting its supplier mix and negotiation strategies over the past period. The report mentioned that Apple had previously invested political capital in Washington and strived to purchase products from Chinese storage manufacturers Changxin Storage and Yangtze Memory. However, in the end, American consumers did not receive significant discounts on retail prices. This also reflects that Apple still tends to protect its own profits in the game between cost control and terminal pricing. Regarding the iPhone 18 Pro series flash memory specifications, industry insiders believe that Apple’s strategy once again reflects that it values financial indicators in design and supply chain decisions, rather than stacking high-priced flagship hardware without compromise.
The report finally pointed out that using enterprise-level QLC design in high-priced, high-capacity flagship models and using higher-specification TLC as only a small number of alternatives will inevitably arouse the attention and even dissatisfaction of professional players and high-end users. As the pricing and configuration details of the iPhone 18 series continue to emerge, whether Apple’s “hidden downgrade” in storage specifications will affect the purchase choices of high-end user groups, and whether it will push more users to switch to mid-capacity versions, remains to be answered by actual market feedback.