Apple Considering Price Increase for iPhone 17 Later This Year

Apple is reportedly considering a price increase for its upcoming iPhone series later this year. It’s expected that the release of the iPhone 17 will be with increased prices amidst global economical uncertainty.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is considering raising the prices for its iPhone 17, yet will not attribute the decision to the US tariffs on items from China. Instead, those familiar with the matter believe Apple will instead leverage new features and design changes to justify the higher prices.

This week, the US and China have agreed to suspend most of the tariffs that have been imposed on one another during the recent trade war. However, there is still a 20 percent tariff that remains from early on in President Trump’s second term. This tariff covers many Chinese goods, including smartphones. Under the latest trade deal, smartphones have been exempted from a separate “reciprocal” tariff. This sees a temporary decrease in tariff from 125 percent down to 10 percent.

However, Apple is still wary of the US and China trade disputes. The company, facing mounting pressure from tariffs and threats to the supply chain this year, have built up inventory in the US in March. In addition, the company has shifted its manufacturing for US devices to India, rather than China.

The majority of iPhones shipped to the US in the current quarter will have been supplied by India. However, the Chinese factories will maintain responsibility for manufacturing Apple’s Pro and Pro Max models. It’s reported that the supply chain in India doesn’t have the technical capabilities to replicate the supply chain in China.

It’s unclear how much Apple may increase the price of its iPhone 17 when compared to the current iPhone 16 series. For reference, the base iPhone 16 is available starting at $1,129. The iPhone 16 Pro begins at $1,449.