Apple Increases Prices for Older iPhone Models Amid New Releases

Apple has unveiled its latest flagships — the iPhone 18 and the iPhone Duo, the first foldable smartphone in the brand's history. However, while attention was focused on the new and expensive devices, the tech giant raised the prices of other existing models on the market by $100. This change was immediately reflected in the company's online store and sparked discussions among customers. This is reported by Techcrunch.com reports .

According to ixbt.com, the change in pricing policy also affected older generation smartphones. Specifically, the starting price for the iPhone 16 model reached $799, the iPhone 17e $699, and the iPhone 17 $899. Additionally, the iPhone Air model is now being sold for at least $1099. The price hike was felt even more sharply in some international markets, particularly in India, where an increase of nearly 20.5 percent was recorded.

An unusual change in pricing policy

This step is considered somewhat unusual for Apple. Typically, the release of a new generation of iPhone smartphones would lead to a decrease in the prices of older models. However, this price increase did not come as a surprise to experts, as such speculations had been actively discussed in the tech market in recent months. At the same time, the company has discontinued the production of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models.

The primary reason for the price increase is cited as a global shortage of memory and storage chips. The sharp rise in demand for such components by AI companies and cloud data centers has increased costs across the industry. Previously, former executive Tim Cook noted in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that the company could not fully absorb the rising costs and would be forced to reconsider its pricing policy.

Market competition and future impact

Following the rise in memory chip prices, Apple had already adjusted the prices of its Mac and iPad devices upward back in July. Furthermore, experts believe that the increase in iPhone prices may also be due to major competitors like Samsung and Google raising their own product prices. In this competitive environment, Apple is striving to maintain its profitable position.

On the other hand, the company has launched its new Upgrade program, which allows customers to pay for the smartphone in convenient monthly installments. Apple hopes that this financial mechanism will soften the price jump for consumers and mitigate the negative impact on sales volume.