Apple reportedly plans to raise the price of the iPhone 17. According to information gleaned by the Wall Street Journal from sources close to the matter, the Californian giant will justify the price increase by new features and the new design of its smartphones.
A new design to make the pill easier to swallow
According to rumors that have emerged in recent months, the iPhone 17 range should mark a break with previous iPhones, at least from an aesthetic point of view. Some models of this new generation will inherit a camera block that will take the form of a wide strip that extends across the entire rear panel. An approach that is somewhat reminiscent of Google's Pixel 9. Until now, Apple has always placed the camera in the same location: at the top left, on the back of the iPhone. Even when the design has evolved, like last year with the iPhone 16, the placement has remained the same. This is therefore a major change for the iPhone design.
Furthermore, Apple plans to launch an Air edition, which would be distinguished by its extreme thinness. It would even be the "thinnest iPhone ever created" and one of the thinnest smartphones on the market. By highlighting the design of the iPhone 17 Air and the revised design of the range, Apple would believe it can justify yet another price increase. To justify its new pricing structure, the firm would also rely on an ultra-sophisticated camera, equipped with three 48-megapixel sensors (reserved for the iPhone 17 Pro), reverse wireless charging, and an A19 chip.
However, Apple would not want to blame the tariff increase on the customs duties decreed by Donald Trump. According to the WSJ, Apple is "determined to avoid any scenario in which it appears to attribute" iPhone tariffs to Washington's actions. The Cupertino group is also spared from the president's customs duties. As CEO Tim Cook readily explains, "the vast majority of our products, including the iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro, are not currently subject to customs duties." There is therefore no reason to revise prices upwards to absorb the cost of the taxes... for the moment.
The Wall Street Journal specifies that Apple has not yet made a final decision on pricing. As a reminder, Apple sells the iPhone 16 at a starting price of 969 euros. The price soars above 1200 euros for the iPhone 16 Pro.
Source: WSJ
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