17th August 2026 – (Cupertino) The escalation in memory chip prices has led several smartphone manufacturers to raise product prices, and Apple is poised to follow suit. Apple plans to complete adjustments to the global pricing of the iPhone 17 range before the end of August, with price increases across models expected to be capped at 1,000 yuan. These adjustments are said to mirror the company’s recent pricing strategy in Japan.
Apple’s much-anticipated autumn product launch is scheduled for September, drawing particular attention as it marks the first keynote event to be hosted by John Ternus since his appointment as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. The event is also likely to feature the unveiling of foldable models, including the iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro series.
If the price revision for the iPhone 17 range does materialise, it would break with the industry norm of discounting older models in the lead-up to a new product announcement. Last month, Apple took the unusual step of raising retail prices across a broad range of its products in Japan, including iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, marking the company’s first widespread price rise there in recent years. The price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB increased from 194,000 to 214,800 yen, representing a rise of 10.3 per cent, while the iPhone 17 256GB saw its price rise by ten per cent to 142,800 yen.
In mainland China, there has not yet been any announcement regarding adjustments to iPhone 17 pricing, though Apple did raise prices for other hardware, such as MacBook, iPad, Mac desktops, Vision Pro, and HomePod in June.
Speculation regarding price increases for the iPhone 17 series first emerged earlier this month, with reports suggesting a global adjustment from 10th August and projected rises of roughly 500 yuan per device. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max prices are said to be climbing from 8,999 and 9,999 yuan, respectively, up to 9,499 and 10,499 yuan.
Despite this, as of 17th August, Apple has not officially confirmed any of these changes. Bloomberg’s respected technology journalist, Mark Gurman, has also estimated in his Power On newsletter that iPhone retail prices could rise by 100 to 200 US dollars, driven by higher costs for memory, processors, and the new camera systems. He notes that with manufacturing pressure increasing and the arrival of new foldable designs, the key question for the market is not whether Apple will raise prices, but by how much and in which markets.