- By Prateek Levi
- Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:28 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
iPhone Price Rise: The chip shortage in the economy is going to hit iPhone lovers soon, as Apple's current CEO has warned that there will be a price hike in iPhones, and this uptick in price will come sooner than anticipated and not in months but in weeks. The Cupertino-based tech giant's CEO has cautioned that this price hike is "unavoidable", and analysts as well as supply chain watchers are now anticipating a price rise in Apple's latest iPhone offering, the iPhone 17 series, even before the supposed iPhone 18 arrives in the market.
Cook, while speaking to The Wall Street Journal last week, said, "We've been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable." This statement was quite unusually blunt from the company that usually likes to keep most things under wraps, especially when it comes to rising prices.
The cause here for this price hike, or should we say fallout, is quite straightforward, and it's a classic demand-supply gap scenario. Companies like Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron are not able to produce enough chips in order to fulfil the burgeoning demand by AI and data centre companies that are eating up DRAM and NAND flash storage chips faster than supply can be stabilised. It is hiking the prices industry-wide that has quadrupled since last year. Competitors like Samsung, Microsoft, Sony and Dell have already joined the price hike bandwagon, and now it seems like Apple is going to follow suit soon.
The Price Could Happen In Just A Matter Of Few Weeks
During Apple's latest earnings call, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that prices across some of the company's product categories could increase in the near future. While he still kept it under wraps which devices would actually be affected or exactly when the changes would take effect, industry watchers believe the company may not be willing to wait until its next iPhone launch event to make a move.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggested that Cook's comments point towards price revisions arriving sooner rather than later. According to Gurman, the timing indicates that any changes are likely "imminent" and "not a fall thing" connected to the iPhone 18 series launch.
The expected timing has fuelled speculation that Apple could align the increase with its annual Back to School promotion. The programme, aimed at students and educators, typically offers incentives such as gift cards or complimentary accessories on eligible Mac and iPad purchases. Historically, Apple has rolled out the campaign roughly a week after WWDC, with launches occurring between eight and ten days following the keynote in several recent years. That schedule could place this year's offer as early as this week, potentially helping offset the impact of higher prices.
Adding to the speculation, well-known supply chain tipster Ice Universe also hinted over the weekend that pricing changes could be around the corner.
How Much Price Hike Can Be Anticipated?
As things stand, Apple's current smartphone portfolio begins with the iPhone 17e at $599, followed by the iPhone 17 at $799. The iPhone Air starts at $999, while the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are priced at $1,099 and $1,199, respectively. Although Apple has not officially announced any revisions, reports suggest that any increase is likely to remain below the $100 mark.
According to research firm TechInsights, the iPhone 18 Pro could see a price hike to the tune of $270 in order for the tech giant to preserve its margins, which could push its prices to roughly $1,299; on the other hand, WSJ's analysis puts this estimate at $1,399 after a much more costly camera system is integrated into the iPhone. Macs and iPads could see a price hike first, as only recently Apple had subtly increased the price of the Mac Mini. But one thing is clear from the analysis reports: if you were planning to get your hands on the latest Apple handset, doing that sooner might be a better option.