Apple has increased the prices of its iPhone 16, 17, 17e and Air, quietly making the changes to coincide with the announcement of the new foldable iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and Duo. Some of them are now even more expensive than at launch. SEE ALSO: iPhone 18 Pro price report: Apple confirms price increases Historically, the launch of a new iPhone has been accompanied by a price reduction on older models, making the devices more attractive to savvy buyers. Unfortunately, it looks like your patience has been punished this year, with several previous iPhones getting a $100 price increase. The iPhone 16 had been available for $699 before Apple’s event on Wednesday, having received a $100 price cut when the iPhone 17 launched last year. That reduction has now been reversed, bringing the iPhone 16 back to $799, the same price it was when it launched two years ago in 2024. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17, 17e, and Air are now more expensive than at launch. The budget iPhone 17e was originally available for $599 when it was announced in March this year, but will now cost $699. Apple’s iPhone 17 launched at $799 last September, but its price has now increased to $899. Finally, the iPhone Air launched at $999 alongside the iPhone 17, but will now cost buyers $1,099. Top smartphone deals of the week If the $1,999 iPhone Duo isn’t in your budget, now’s a good time to take advantage of discounts on older-generation iPhones and Android devices. Mashable Light Speed To top it all off, the newly announced iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are also $100 more expensive than last year’s 17 Pro and Pro Max at launch, starting at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively. Some commentators expected Apple to launch the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,099, absorbing higher manufacturing costs to keep it in line with the iPhone 17 Pro’s price. It was a reasonable conclusion considering Apple’s past pricing trends. However, it seems that the tech giant is not prepared to reduce its profit margin that much this year. (Apple’s recent Q3 2026 results reported a quarterly net profit of $29.8 billion, and iPhone net sales rose 22 percent to $54.25 billion.) While unwelcome, Apple’s price increases aren’t a complete surprise. The rise of AI has significantly increased demand for memory chips, driving up manufacturing costs as technology companies compete for limited supplies. In June, former Apple CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal that while the company was trying to “mitigate” the impact on customers, “price increases are inevitable.” Bloomberg later reported last month that Apple was preparing to increase the prices of its iPhones, having already done so with other products such as the iPad Air, MacBook Air and Mac Studio. Want to learn more about how to get the most out of your technology? Sign up today for newsletters on the best Mashable stories and deals.
