The iPhone 17 is still a long way off from hitting the market, yet early speculations have been making waves. Recent rumors suggest that Apple might raise the prices of its iPhones for the first time in eight years with the iPhone 17 series. Jukanlosreve on X shared this information, citing Jong Wook Lee from the Samsung Securities Research Center. In a recent lecture, Lee claimed that we should be prepared for a price increase in the new iPhone 17 models. The reason behind this potential price hike is that the iPhone 16 series did not experience one.

Guest Lecture Insights

During a guest lecture, Jong Wook Lee, a senior researcher at Samsung Securities Research Center, stated, "Although there were initial expectations of a price rise for Apple's iPhones this year, the prices remained unchanged. As a result, the profit margins have declined since...December 14, 2024." Lee further claimed that the iPhone 16 could have had higher prices, but it remained the same as the iPhone 15 series before it. This implies that the iPhone 17 will likely introduce new and higher pricing. However, Lee did not disclose how much more expensive the iPhone 17 will be compared to current iPhones. If we were to make an educated guess, we would assume at least a $100 increase for all models to help Apple boost its revenue without significantly exceeding the prices of its rivals from Samsung, Google, and others.

Breaking an Eight-Year Streak

Since the iPhone X debuted in 2017, iPhones have maintained the same price, except for the years when new models like the iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 14 Plus were introduced, or in the case of the price/base storage increase with the iPhone 15 Pro Max last year. Apple has done an excellent job of keeping things stable for such a long time. While users may not be happy about a price increase, a change after eight years of identically-priced models seems reasonable.

iPhone 17 Slim/Air Model

Adding to the mix of iPhone rumors, the iPhone 17 series could potentially feature the new iPhone 17 Slim/Air model. Rumormongers claim that this could be a new standalone type of iPhone or a replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus. Alleged pricing for this model could range from $900 - $1000 like the Plus model to over $1,299, making it more expensive than a Pro Max model. We will only know for sure what the iPhone 17 series costs when it launches, which is expected to be in September 2025 based on typical Apple schedules and rumors that production is getting closer. Other rumors that might be confirmed on launch day include a new camera block design, Apple's first in-house Bluetooth and WiFi chip, more efficient battery technology, and camera upgrades for the Pro Max model.