iPhone 17 Models 'Likely' to Have Higher Prices, Another Analyst Says

[MacRumors]

iPhone 17 models will "likely" be more expensive than iPhone 16 models in the U.S., according to Jeff Pu, an analyst at investment firm GF Securities.

In a research note this week, Pu attributed the potential iPhone 17 price increases to the U.S. imposing tariffs on products imported from countries where the iPhone is assembled, including China and India. Apple is currently paying a 20% tariff on iPhones imported from China, but none on iPhones imported from India, according to The Wall Street Journal. However, the Trump administration's tariff policies frequently change.

On an earnings call last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the majority of the iPhones sold in the U.S. are imported from India currently.

Wall Street analysts have estimated that iPhone 17 models could be $50 to $100 more expensive than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, but this is likely guesswork. Even if prices do increase, Apple could find clever ways to spin the situation, such as by raising the iPhone 17 Pro's minimum storage capacity from 128GB to 256GB. That would bring the Pro model in line with the Pro Max model, which has started at the 256GB mark for a few years now.

In the U.S., Apple has maintained a $999 starting price for the Pro model or equivalent since the iPhone X was released all the way back in 2017, despite rumors about potential price increases year after year. So, Apple has earned the benefit of the doubt on pricing until proven otherwise. On the other hand, nothing lasts forever.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Models 'Likely' to Have Higher Prices, Another Analyst Says

 

[Tripps9000]

Well if taco just would of left things alone prices would not go up but no things will get more expensive because of him assemble iPhones in the US not going to happen like they want just look at the Moto X now there is a story of what happens when you try to manufacture a phone in the US🤨

 

[jz0309]

I'll just wait and see what Apple announces on 9/9 or whenever they announce...

 

[Shirasaki]

Well if taco just would of left things alone prices would not go up but no things will get more expensive because of him assemble iPhones in the US not going to happen like they want just look at the Moto X now there is a story of what happens when you try to manufacture a phone in the US🤨

I suppose you have to start somewhere, just whatever taco doing right now is not the way to do it. Like, you don’t have to shatter the world to prove your points, but taco strongly disagrees and mock people who says otherwise.

 

[Shirasaki]

Great. Now iPhone and whatnot will have a much higher base price than they should’ve been and Apple will NOT lower it ever. Whether the dust is settled or not Apple and their shareholders gonna laugh at their bank accounts unless customer riots together and refuse to pay higher price iPhone.

Unfortunately there’s no way it will happen in the Apple world so enjoy more expensive iPhone. Oh and the US price increase will also be translated to higher prices in other regions too so for folks in EU for example it is going to be an even tougher sell. Guess I’m gonna have to keep my iPhone 16 Pro Max for as long as it could.

 

[paradox00]

Prices were going to increase even before the tarifs were a thing. The base price increase of the Pro Max (by dropping the 128GB tier a few years back), the discontinuation of the SE line, the 16E taking the price point of the 14 as the lowest (but not low) priced iPhone, and the plans to introduce an all new premium device between the iPhone and iPhone Pro provide an essay on the wall foreshadowing this.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Seems likely to me that the regular 17 will stay the same at $799, the new iPhone air will take the previously flagship $999 price slot, and the Pros get bumped to $1199 and $1299 respectively.
Not only does this make sense from a tariff point of view, it also makes sense because Samsung‘s ultra has been $1299 the last two years.

 

[Naraxus]

Non issue. You have newer tech things and the latest & greatest, you pay a higher premium/price until the the tech goes mainstream or fails at which point the price drops.

Basic Econ 101.

 

[paradox00]

Seems likely to me that the regular 17 will stay the same at $799, the new iPhone air will take the previously flagship $999 price slot, and the Pros get bumped to $1199 and $1299 respectively.
Not only does this make sense from a tariff point of view, it also makes sense because Samsung‘s ultra has been $1299 the last two years.

A $200 difference between the base iPhone and the Air is unlikely imo. Or put another way, a $100 increase to the Plus (which the Air replaces) and $0 increase to the base iPhone doesn't make much sense considering that Apple likes evenly spaced upgrade tiers. The only way (imo) that the base iPhone doesn't see a price jump is if the the Air comes in at $949 or less and Apple switches to $150 price intervals instead of $100.

 

[paradox00]

Non issue. You have newer tech things and the latest & greatest, you pay a higher premium/price until the the tech goes mainstream or fails at which point the price drops.

Basic Econ 101.

Hardly basic Econ 101. That doesn't cover stuff like switching costs, social and peer influence, lock-in tactics and monthly payment plans that mask the true cost to consumers. If basic Econ 101 was what applied here and elsewhere, we wouldn't be seeing an increased debt burden on the working poor and a consolidation of wealth at the top. The phone market doesn't act like a free market, especially since the government literally blocks some of the competition at the border... Smartphone demand is fairly inelastic as they've become an essential item and Samsung is more than happy to go along with any price increases Apple's interested in. We've seen some lengthening of upgrade cycles over time, but demand has been relatively steady.

 

[Rogifan]

Obviously Apple would not say it’s because of tariffs so what reason will they use?

 

[victorvictoria]

Don't really care, as long as I seem some primo deals on iPhone 16's! My old 2020 SE is showing its age, and has run out of space for apps!

 

[segfaultdotorg]

I have a suggested price point:

 

[kagharaht]

Why high prices? Apple should be protected and exempt from any Tariff issues. After all....

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

As long as they don’t remove rumored features to save budget. It’s OKAY. Just give us a phone we could happily use for a few years at least unlike the iPhone 12 - iPhone 16 series which were WEAK upgrades. The iPhone 11 Pros were the last solid upgrade.

 

[UliBaer]

Take this and shut up!

 

[DownUnderDan]

Non issue. You have newer tech things and the latest & greatest, you pay a higher premium/price until the the tech goes mainstream or fails at which point the price drops.

Basic Econ 101.

Apple didn't take that class.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

A $200 difference between the base iPhone and the Air is unlikely imo. Or put another way, a $100 increase to the Plus (which the Air replaces) and $0 increase to the base iPhone doesn't make much sense considering that Apple likes evenly spaced upgrade tiers. The only way (imo) that the base iPhone doesn't see a price jump is if the the Air comes in at $949 or less and Apple switches to $150 price intervals instead of $100.

I’m not sure, there’s only $200 between the 16e and the 16.
And the iPhone Air is technically replacing the plus, but it is not a replacement for the plus.
It’s smaller, with completely different specifications.
It’s best to think of it as a brand new iPhone model and the plus just happens to be discontinued at the same time.
But I do not think they will make their new flagship super thin and light 5.5MM model under $1000.
Also keep in mind that the air will have better specifications than the regular 17.
12 GB of RAM on the Air vs 8 GB on the 17, A19Pro on the Air and possibly only the A18 or A19 in the 17.
These specification differences never existed between the regular and the plus for the last three years.

So I think we may be looking at $200 differences from now on…
e: $599
Regular: $799
Air: $999
Pro: $1199

 

[ThailandToo]

Just wondering how a price increase is political? Even if it’s due to tariffs, that’s no politics… we here it’s going to be more expensive ever year. I do believe it will be 256GB to make any price increase justified and not “due to tariffs.”

 

[wbeasley]

with tariffs there is going to be even more pressure to keep prices low and blame the increase only on the tariff.
otherwise it will be seen as greedy to bump price AND collect more tariff on the higher priced item.

sales will already be hit at the same price point. Cook already basically warned investors this could happen.
adding more now would really kill the device sales in US.

 

[wbeasley]

Just wondering how a price increase is political? Even if it’s due to tariffs, that’s no politics… we here it’s going to be more expensive ever year. I do believe it will be 256GB to make any price increase justified and not “due to tariffs.”

because tech usually gets cheaper over time and we are all used to that.

services tend to go up with inflation.

 

[Herrpod]

Non issue. You have newer tech things and the latest & greatest, you pay a higher premium/price until the the tech goes mainstream or fails at which point the price drops.

Basic Econ 101.

Someone who knew basic economics would know what a tariff actually means. Sadly Taco isnt very bright.

 

[Naraxus]

Hardly basic Econ 101. That doesn't cover stuff like switching costs, social and peer influence, lock-in tactics and monthly payment plans that mask the true cost to consumers.

All non factors in the price of tech. There are plenty of alternatives to iOS. There is no social/peer pressure to buy a piece of tech.

If basic Econ 101 was what applied here and elsewhere, we wouldn't be seeing an increased debt burden on the working poor and a consolidation of wealth at the top

Yawn. Irrelevant political leanings to the topic at hand.

The phone market doesn't act like a free market, especially since the government literally blocks some of the competition at the border... Smartphone demand is fairly inelastic as they've become an essential item and Samsung is more than happy to go along with any price increases Apple's interested in. We've seen some lengthening of upgrade cycles over time, but demand has been relatively steady.

If they want to block Chinese spyware masquerading a cheap Android alternative (Huawei) from infesting the United States then I'm fully behind them.

 

[MayaUser]

There will not be price increase...the 17 pro will still starts from $999 like the 13" Macbook air

 

[RealE]

There will not be price increase...the 17 pro will still starts from $999 like the 13" Macbook air

Well you're quite optimistic. Hope you're right.