Apple is preparing to increase iPhone prices, according to a new Bloomberg report, with higher memory and component costs expected to make the smartphones more expensive. The report does not give a specific date for the increase, but says Apple is already preparing for it and that a price rise now “remains inevitable.”
This is important because Apple has already increased prices across several other product categories. The company recently raised the prices of Macs and iPads, in some cases by a big amount. With similar supply pressures now affecting the iPhone, the smartphone lineup could be next.
The exact size of the increase is still unclear. Bloomberg says Apple has been closely watching Samsung and Google, both of which increased the prices of their latest phones by around $100. If Apple follows the same approach, the iPhone 18 Pro could start at $1,199 in the US, compared with $1,099 currently. That would translate into an increase of roughly 9 per cent. While a $100 jump would be noticeable, it would still be relatively decent compared with the increases Apple has already introduced on some Macs and iPads. It would also keep the iPhone more or less within the pricing range of Samsung’s flagship phones.
In India, iPhones are rumoured to receive up to Rs 10,000 price hike, which if happens will likely disappoint a lot of Appel fans.
Apple has already raised Mac and iPad prices
Apple’s recent pricing decisions provide an indication of what could happen next. Around two months ago, the company increased prices across almost every major product category outside the iPhone.
The MacBook Air became $200 more expensive, while the Mac Studio saw a $500 increase. The iPad Air also received a $150 price increase. In India, some of the affected Apple products became costlier by amounts reaching close to Rs 1 lakh.
The company is now facing similar pressure from the rising cost of memory and other components used in smartphones. Apple has also warned about pressure on its gross margins, indicating that it may not be passing all of these additional costs on to customers yet. However, the iPhone gives Apple more flexibility. The company has a strong customer base that may be willing to absorb a moderate increase, particularly for its Pro models. Apple is also reportedly working on a new upgrade subscription program that could make higher prices easier to manage through monthly payments.
Which iPhones could become more expensive?
Bloomberg has not specified which iPhone models will receive the increase. If Apple follows the same approach it took with Macs and iPads, however, the hike could affect a big section of its lineup.
The newer iPhone 17 range could be among the models affected, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max could also see their prices revised. Whether older models such as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 15 will remain unaffected is still unknown.
In India, the iPhone 16 currently starts at Rs 69,900, while the iPhone 16 Plus starts at Rs 79,900. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max start at Rs 1,19,900 and Rs 1,44,900.
The iPhone 17 starts at Rs 82,900, the iPhone 17 Air at Rs 94,990, the iPhone 17 Pro at Rs 1,34,900 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max at Rs 1,49,900.
Apple has not officially confirmed the hike or revealed when it will take effect. But with Bloomberg reporting that the company is preparing for it and calling an increase “inevitable,” it increasingly looks like the next major change in iPhone pricing could be on the way.
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