The iPhone 16 series maintained the same pricing structure as the previous generation, but analysts speculate that the forthcoming iPhone 17 series may introduce the first price increase since the iPhone 12’s debut in 2020. According to Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max could see a price hike of about $50 each, driven by rising costs from components and tariffs. The potential starting prices, should these increases materialize, would e.g., start at $829 for the iPhone 17 and extend to $1,249 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The context of these increases must also be seen against the backdrop of tariffs and political discourse surrounding technological manufacturing, particularly in relation to China.
Historically, price adjustments for the iPhone have been fairly cyclic, with the last price increase occurring five years ago. Such a prolonged period without a price hike is particularly noteworthy given that Apple has previously adjusted prices on a more frequent basis. An analysis of past iPhone models reveals distinct pricing categories—standard, flagship, and ‘behemoth’—that help contextualize the pricing strategies Apple employs. The standard models have undergone several earlier price changes, while the flagship models remain stagnant at their introductory price point of $999 since the launch of the iPhone X in 2017.
Looking at specific pricing history, the standard iPhone has transitioned through various price points, with previous increases typically occurring every few years. For instance, the introduction of the iPhone 3G in 2008 raised the cost to $599, followed by an increase to $649 with the iPhone 5 in 2012. The last major price jump occurred with the iPhone 12, which saw a $130 increase to $829. Given this historical pattern, many point to the likelihood of an increase for the upcoming iPhone 17, especially as previous patterns indicate Apple rarely allows six years to pass without raising prices.
The situation is complicated further with the flagship iPhone Pro line, which has not seen a price adjustment since the iPhone X. The 2017 model’s pricing of $999 remains the same today, which raises questions of inflation’s impact and how long Apple can sustain this pricing without adjustments. In fact, correcting for inflation implies an actual price of approximately $1,298 today, underscoring a potential need for a hike in the coming models to better align with current economic realities.
When examining the ‘behemoth’ category, consisting of the Plus, Max, and Pro Max models, Apple has historically maintained a more flexible approach to pricing these larger devices, introducing gradual increases over the years. The original iPhone 6 Plus debuted with a price of $749, which later surged to $1,099 with the XS Max. Recently, the entry point for the iPhone Pro Max was set at $1,199, reflecting a shift from the previous lower-entry price point but stabilizing at a higher tier for newer models.
In conclusion, while future pricing for the iPhone 17 remains speculative, analysts indicate a trend toward higher costs across the board, potentially making this the first instance of a broad price increase since previous adjustments and taking into account various pressures, including tariffs. The real implications of these price hikes—whether they apply uniformly across all models or selectively—remain undisclosed, leaving consumers to await Apple’s upcoming September event for definitive answers on new pricing tiers.
