Apple’s next-generation iPhone 17 series is expected to launch with a notable price increase, a new industry leak claims. Based on market projections and analysis from Jeff Pu of GF Securities, it is said that the iPhone 17 series models, which could include the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, could see a price hike of between $50 to $100, compared to the equivalent iPhone 16 models when new.
For iPhone fans around the world, this could be a shocking development, considering how Apple has managed to keep the starting price of its ‘Pro’ iPhone unchanged since 2017’s iPhone X. This would mark the first significant price increase for the Pro model since the launch of the iPhone X back in 2017.
But why a price hike after all these years?
The primary reason behind the expected price surge is attributed to the ongoing US tariffs on imported goods from key manufacturing regions like China and India. While the US government under President Trump has restrained itself to a 20% tariff on products from China, the tariffs on Indian products has been hiked to 50%. This is a shocker for Apple, which now assembles the majority of iPhones sold in the US in India.
Currently, devices from India are exempt from these tariffs. However, the unpredictability of US trade policy is a crucial factor influencing Apple’s strategic pricing decisions. The company has reportedly absorbed tariff-related costs, which may now initiate a broader price adjustment impacting global pricing strategies.
To mitigate the impact of the higher costs, Apple may introduce a key hardware upgrade: more base storage capacity for the iPhone 17 Pro. It is rumoured that the standard variant will be get 256GB storage similar to the Pro Max variant, thus providing a more compelling value proposition despite the price hike.
iPhone 17 series expected US prices
Based on these leaks, the potential starting prices could be around $850 for the iPhone 17, $1,050 for the iPhone 17 Pro, and $1,250 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, as far as the US is concerned. Indian prices, however, could remain unchanged, considering the economic situation.
The official announcement is expected to take place on September 9, 2025, with pre-orders opening a few days later on September 12. Retail availability is expected to begin on September 19.
