Apple may raise prices on iPhone 17 models when the iPhone 18 Pro lineup launches next month, according to research firm TrendForce.
iPhone 17 pricing and memory-cost pressure
TrendForce says the company could revisit pricing for older iPhone 17 models at the same time the new generation arrives as a way to partially offset rising memory costs. The firm estimates the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro will cost roughly 38 percent more to build than the equivalent iPhone 17 Pro, driven by memory’s share of the bill of materials climbing from around 10 percent a year ago to about 34 percent this quarter.
Rather than pass the full increase to customers, TrendForce expects Apple to follow its recent MacBook approach and give up part of its gross margin to keep any price rises palatable—within reason—and to protect shipment volumes.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone next month, and there’s a good chance the iPhone 17 lineup will (at least partially) stick around for another year as, albeit relatively, a cheaper option.
