iPhone 17 models will "likely" be more expensive than iPhone 16 models in the U.S., according to Jeff Pu, an analyst at investment firm GF Securities.
In a research note this week, Pu attributed the potential iPhone 17 price increases to the U.S. imposing tariffs on products imported from countries where the iPhone is assembled, including China and India. Apple is currently paying a 20% tariff on iPhones imported from China, but none on iPhones imported from India, according to The Wall Street Journal. However, the Trump administration's tariff policies frequently change.
On an earnings call last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the majority of the iPhones sold in the U.S. are imported from India currently.
Wall Street analysts have estimated that iPhone 17 models could be $50 to $100 more expensive than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, but this is likely guesswork. Even if prices do increase, Apple could find clever ways to spin the situation, such as by raising the iPhone 17 Pro's minimum storage capacity from 128GB to 256GB. That would bring the Pro model in line with the Pro Max model, which has started at the 256GB mark for a few years now.
In the U.S., Apple has maintained a $999 starting price for the Pro model or equivalent since the iPhone X was released all the way back in 2017, despite rumors about potential price increases year after year. So, Apple has earned the benefit of the doubt on pricing until proven otherwise. On the other hand, nothing lasts forever.
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