● Covered by 4 sources · 5 reportsMedium impact3 negative2 neutral
Apple Increases Prices of Older iPhone Models by $100 Following New Device Launch
Key points
- Apple increased prices of older iPhone models by $100.
- Affected models include iPhone 16, iPhone 17 lineup, and iPhone Air.
- Price changes followed the launch of iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro.
- iPhone 16 now costs $799; iPhone Air starts at $1,099.
- The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have been discontinued.
- iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max start at $1,199 and $1,299.
- Google and Samsung also increased prices for new models by $100.
- Pixel 11 starts at $899, up from Pixel 10's $799.
- Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra launched at $2,099, up from Z Fold 7.
- Sony's Xperia 10 VIII costs £150 more.
- Moto Razr phones also cost $100 more.
- Price hikes are due to component shortages for RAM and processors.
- AI data center buildouts drive component shortages.
Older iPhone Models See Price Increase
Following its "Surprise and shine" event, where the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro were announced, Apple increased the prices of several older iPhone models still available for purchase. This change affects the iPhone 16, the entire iPhone 17 lineup, and the iPhone Air, with each model seeing a $100 price hike.
Specific Price Adjustments
The iPhone 16, which was $699 last week, is now priced at $799. The iPhone 17E with 256GB of storage increased from $599 to $699. The base iPhone 17 now starts at $899, up from $799. The iPhone Air's price rose from $999 to $1,099. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max now start $100 more than their predecessors, and the iPhone Duo is priced at $1999 for 256 GB.
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been discontinued following these announcements.
Deviation from Traditional Strategy
This price adjustment is a departure from Apple's usual strategy, where older models typically become cheaper with the introduction of new generations. The company did not mention these price increases during the event, instead highlighting that some new devices, like the Apple Watch 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, would maintain their previous starting prices.
Potential Reasons for the Hike
While Apple did not explicitly state the reason for the price increases, some reports suggest it is a reaction to changing market conditions, including rising component costs for items like RAM and storage. Speculation about potential price hikes had been circulating prior to the event, partly due to a global shortage of memory and storage chips driven by increased demand from AI companies and cloud providers.
Updates
- iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max start at $1,199 and $1,299.
- Google and Samsung also increased prices for new models by $100.
- Pixel 11 starts at $899, up from Pixel 10's $799.
- Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra launched at $2,099, up from Z Fold 7.
- Sony's Xperia 10 VIII costs £150 more.
- Moto Razr phones also cost $100 more.
- Price hikes are due to component shortages for RAM and processors.
- AI data center buildouts drive component shortages.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
Apple, Google, and Samsung have increased prices for their latest smartphone models by approximately $100, a trend observed across the industry. These price hikes are attributed to ongoing component shortages, particularly for RAM and processors, driven by AI data center buildouts.
Apple raised the prices of its existing iPhone models by $100, effective immediately, after unveiling the new iPhone 18 and iPhone Duo. This change deviates from Apple's usual strategy of lowering older model prices and is attributed to rising component costs, particularly for memory and storage chips.
Apple has raised the prices of all previous-generation iPhones it still sells by $100. This change means models like the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 now cost more than they did prior to the recent iPhone Duo event.
Apple has raised prices by $100 across its entire iPhone lineup, including the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17e, citing rising component costs. This adjustment affects both new and existing models, with the iPhone 17 now starting at $899 and the iPhone Air at $1099.
Apple has raised the prices of its previously released iPhone models, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 17 lineup, and iPhone Air, by $100. This price adjustment occurred after the announcement of the new iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro models, making older iPhone options more expensive for consumers.