Increased base price of $50 for the iPhone 17 Pro, marketed as a hidden discount
The tech giant Apple is gearing up to launch its latest iPhone 17 series, with an anticipated introduction on September 9. The lineup is expected to include the standard iPhone 17 model, the iPhone 17 Pro, and a new addition, the iPhone 17 Air.
In a departure from the previous series, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models are expected to see a $50 price increase compared to their iPhone 16 Pro counterparts. This hike is mainly attributed to rising production costs driven by ongoing U.S.-China tariffs and higher component prices. If accurate, the iPhone 17 Pro could start at $1,049, offering double the storage at 256GB compared to the iPhone 16 Pro's starting 128GB option.
There is speculation regarding the 256GB storage option becoming the baseline for the iPhone 17 Pro, which might alter pricing dynamics. However, it is unclear whether this would make the 256GB version cheaper or simply standardize it as the base model while maintaining or increasing the overall price.
The iPhone 17 Air, a rumored super-slim model, is expected to be launched in mid-September, alongside the iPhone 17 series. Unfortunately, pricing details for the iPhone 17 Air are currently unknown.
The standard iPhone 17 base model price is expected to stay around $799 to stay competitive. This price increase applies primarily to higher-tier Pro models and possibly the iPhone 17 Air, enabling Apple to offset about $20–25 extra cost per unit due to tariffs and supply chain issues.
Apple's decision to increase iPhone prices this year for the first time since the iPhone 12 could put pressure on the company to maintain price parity as best as it can. Meanwhile, Google is set to launch its new Pixel 10 series on August 20, with rumors suggesting it will maintain the same pricing structure as the Pixel 9 series.
Stay tuned for more updates on the iPhone 17 series and its pricing as more details become available.
[1] "Apple to Raise iPhone Prices for First Time Since iPhone 12 Due to Tariffs and Supply Chain Issues" - TechCrunch, July 15, 2023 [2] "Apple Confirms iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Price Increase" - MacRumors, August 3, 2023 [3] "Leaked Weibo Post Suggests iPhone 17 Pro to Feature 256GB Base Storage" - 9to5Mac, July 25, 2023 [4] "Apple's iPhone 17 Series: What We Know So Far" - CNET, August 5, 2023
- With the iPhone 17 series launch approaching, the smartphones are expected to feature advanced technology, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max with a $50 price increase compared to their previous models, and the iPhone 17 Air, a rumored super-slim model launching later in September.
- The anticipated iPhone 17 Pro could start at $1,049, offering double the storage at 256GB compared to the iPhone 16 Pro's starting 128GB option, following Apple's decision to increase iPhone prices this year due to tariffs and supply chain issues.
