iPhone 17 Pro expected to increase in price after 6 years of maintaining the $999 mark
The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to increase in price after 6 years of maintaining the $999 mark, but in return, the minimum capacity will double the current one.
Quick summary:
iPhone 17 Pro is expected to launch in September, starting at $1,050 in the US.
Base capacity increased from 128GB to 256GB, 128GB version removed.
The new price is considered reasonable compared to the current capacity upgrade cost.
Rising production costs are the main reason why Apple finds it difficult to maintain its old prices.
iPhone Pro prices under $1,000 may soon become a thing of the past
According to Chinese leaker Instant Digital, the iPhone 17 Pro, expected to launch next September, will start at $1,050 in the US (excluding tax), up $50 from the $999 it has been priced at since 2019. Notably, the base storage will increase from 128GB to 256GB, meaning the 128GB version will be eliminated.
In comparison, the upgrade from 128GB to 256GB on the current iPhone 16 Pro has increased the price by $100, to $1,099. Thus, the new price of the iPhone 17 Pro is considered more beneficial if considering the capacity factor alone.
Perspective from the technology world
Tech YouTuber Austin Evans (over 5.68 million followers) said that the $50 price increase but double the storage capacity was quite surprising. However, he is still excited to wait for the iPhone 17 Pro because this is the model he always chooses thanks to its best camera and powerful upgrades in video recording.
Apple has kept the Pro line at that price point for six years since launching the iPhone 11 Pro at $999 in 2019. But rising manufacturing costs due to components, supply chains, and labor have made it increasingly difficult to keep the price below $1,000. It’s unclear whether the iPhone 17 Pro Max will follow suit.
