Apple could increase prices across the iPhone 17 range worldwide as early as Aug. 10, according to Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital, potentially ending a period in which the company has largely avoided passing higher component costs on to its smartphones.
The claim comes just weeks before Apple is expected to unveil its next-generation iPhones. According to the report, the company could announce higher prices for the existing iPhone 17 family on Monday, although the leaker did not specify how much the devices could cost after the reported adjustment.
The report also claims Apple has temporarily halted between 15% and 30% of its production capacity ahead of the next iPhone launch, suggesting the company is already adjusting manufacturing operations as it prepares to transition to the new generation.
iPhone was spared from Apple’s latest price increases
The reported move would mark a change from Apple’s recent pricing strategy.
The company recently raised prices on several hardware products, including Mac computers, iPads and Apple Vision Pro. iPhones were largely excluded from that increase, with Japan being the main exception. Prices for iPhones in the Japanese market rose by between 8% and 11%, according to the report.
That decision has become more notable as memory prices climb. Apple has been facing higher costs for memory and storage components as demand from artificial intelligence companies puts pressure on the global semiconductor supply chain.
Apple CEO Tim Cook previously warned that the company could no longer absorb all of the additional costs associated with memory and storage chips, fuelling expectations that iPhone prices could eventually rise.
The broader memory shortage has already affected other smartphone manufacturers, with companies either raising prices or adjusting specifications to manage higher component costs.
iPhone 18 could bring another increase
The reported iPhone 17 price adjustment would come shortly before Apple’s next major smartphone launch.
Analysts are already expecting higher prices for at least some iPhone 18 models. Recent reports have suggested that the iPhone 18 Pro could cost around $50 to $100 more than the current generation, although Apple has not confirmed any pricing plans.
The iPhone 17 currently starts at $799 in the US, while the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099. The standard iPhone 17 was introduced with 256GB of storage as its entry-level configuration.
