Apple Increases Prices of Older iPhone Models Following New Product Launch

Apple has increased the prices of several previous-generation iPhone models, breaking from its historical tradition of reducing older device prices following a new product rollout. The surprise price adjustments affect the iPhone 16, the entire iPhone 17 lineup, and the iPhone Air, with multiple devices becoming even more expensive than their original launch prices Mashable.

Apple Reverses Tradition by Raising Prices on Older iPhone Models

The revisions followed Apple’s latest product presentation, which introduced the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the company’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo UA.NEWS. Rather than offering discounts to savvy shoppers waiting for post-launch price cuts, Apple implemented a $100 price bump across multiple past-generation devices Mashable.

Global Price Hikes Across Previous-Generation Lineups

In the United States and general international markets, the adjustments pushed several models past their initial retail debuts:

* iPhone 16: Rose from $699 back up to $799, returning to its initial 2024 launch price after a previous $100 reduction Mashable. * iPhone 17e: Increased from its original $599 announcement price up to $699 (with the 256GB version shifting similarly in regional configurations) Mashable. * iPhone 17: Climbed from a previous $799 price point to $899 Mashable. * iPhone Air: Increased from an initial launch price of $999 to $1,099 Mashable.

Concurrently, newly announced flagship hardware also debuted at higher price points. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max launched at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, marking a $100 increase over the previous year’s Pro equivalents Mashable.

Substantial Price Revisions for Indian Consumers

The pricing strategy resulted in even larger adjustments for buyers in India, where popular legacy devices received steep upward revisions following the September launch event news24online.com.

Apple Increases Prices of Older iPhone Models Following New Product Launch — Photo: UA.NEWS

The standard iPhone 17 saw its 256GB variant jump by Rs 17,000 from Rs 82,900 to Rs 99,900, while the 512GB option increased by Rs 22,000 to reach Rs 1,24,900 in.mashable.com. The more affordable iPhone 17e saw its 256GB model move from Rs 64,900 to Rs 79,900, with its 512GB configuration climbing to Rs 1,04,900 in.mashable.com. Meanwhile, the iPhone Air recorded a sharp regional increase of Rs 30,000, moving from Rs 1,19,900 to Rs 1,49,900 firstpost.com.

Apple also removed the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max from its official lineup, though third-party retailers are expected to clear remaining inventory firstpost.com. The newly introduced iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900, alongside the foldable iPhone Duo debuting at Rs 2,99,900 in.mashable.com, news24online.com.

Industry Pressures and Component Costs

The unexpected pricing shift stems from broader economic and supply chain pressures across the technology sector. The artificial intelligence boom has driven up demand for memory chips, resulting in tighter supplies and higher manufacturing expenses as companies compete for components Mashable.

Ahead of the changes, former CEO Tim Cook noted that while the company attempted to mitigate impacts, price increases are unavoidable Mashable. Apple previously adjusted pricing upward on other hardware lines, including the iPad Air, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio Mashable, alongside regional adjustments to Macs and iPads in India firstpost.com.