iPhone 17 Pro price rise might get masked by increased storage

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in Future Apple Hardware edited August 13

The latest report claiming that Apple will add $50 to the price of the iPhone 17 Pro because of tariffs, also adds that the base model will start with more storage than before.

Two smartphones with multiple cameras; one is orange, and the other is dark blue, arranged against a gradient background.
iPhone 17 Pro - Image Credit: AppleInsider



It's been expected that the price of the iPhone will have to rise because of tariffs, with the latest reports claiming it will be a $50 rise. Now leaker "Instant Digital" on Chinese social media site Weibo backs that up, and adds that Apple will increase the starting storage of the iPhone 17 Pro to 256GB to mask the cost.

Apple has been predicted to do this, and specifically to raise prices but avoid blaming the tariffs that are responsible for it. That's because the White House exploded when it was reported that Amazon was going to do a public service and clearly show the tariff increases on products.

Plus Apple has done exactly this before. In 2022, the iPhone 14 Pro Max started at $1,099, and in 2023 the iPhone 15 Pro Max started at $1,199.


Smartphone with triple camera setup displayed on a curved stand against a dark background, accompanied by text about iPhone 17 Pro price increase.
The (translated) report on Wiebo - image credit: Instant Digital




Apple, though, even stressed in the launch video that the iPhone 15 Pro Max would start with 256GB, up from the 128GB base model the year before. That enabled Greg Joswiak to say that this matched "last year's price with this level of storage."

Only Apple knows the breakdown of its iPhone sales, but it's likely that users of the top-end iPhone would often elect to get more storage, given that they are probably shooting more video and images than most people. Consequently, it's likely that this worked then, so it may well work now.

What went down rather less well was an alternative that Apple tried in 2022. During that iPhone 14 launch video, Apple took time out to claim that it had kept prices to exactly the same level as the iPhone 13 range.

But it hadn't. That claim was true solely for the US and China, while everywhere else saw significant rises. In the UK, the average price rise was $80, while in Japan it was $146.

Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs have hit Apple in the same way that it has all US firms who now have to pay extra to import goods from overseas. It's a policy whose amounts change on a whim, causing stock market uncertainty, and it's a policy that is putting US companies out of business.

For Apple specifically, as the iPhone 17 is launched, there will be a 30% tariff on anything it imports from China. That's ten times more than Apple used to pay, but it may well get worse as Trump continues to threaten 150%.

Rumor Score: Possible

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 2
    ssfe11ssfe11 Posts: 197member
    Respect to Apple insider but I would not put in the word “mask”.  Prices for practically all products increase annually. Apple was able to hold off price increases for awhile but inflation is relentless and companies have no choice but to increase. Bravo to Apple for holding off as long as they could. Most other companies would not and could not do it. 
    neoncatretrogustoVictorMortimernubus
     1Like 3Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 2
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 654member
    "That's because the White House exploded..."

    I think you're referring to the deluded man-child currently inhabiting said house...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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