iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 are launching tonight. Speculation is mounting that the new iPhone 17 series could have a higher price tag due to ongoing tariff concerns.
Apple is set to unveil its next line of iPhones today, on September 9, a launch that comes amid a global trade war that has added the potential for price increases to the usual excitement surrounding the company’s annual product evolution.
The new iPhones will be the first released since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and unleashed a barrage of tariffs. His administration claims these tariffs are an attempt to bring overseas manufacturing back to the US—a crusade that has put Apple CEO Tim Cook in a difficult position.
Likely to get a name change
If Apple follows its traditional naming scheme, the new models will be called the iPhone 17. However, the Cupertino, California, company recently deviated from tradition with its operating system’s naming formula. The next version of iOS, previewed at its developers conference in June, will be called iOS 26—a marketing technique automakers have used for decades.
To be made in India and China
These new iPhones are still expected to be made in Apple’s manufacturing hubs in China and India, much to the Trump administration’s dismay. Both Trump and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have repeatedly insisted that iPhones be made in the U.S., an unrealistic demand that analysts say would take years to implement and could double or even triple the iPhone’s current average price of about $1,000.
Apple to invest $600 billion in the US
Cook has attempted to placate Trump, initially pledging to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years and upping that commitment last month by an additional $100 billion. He also gifted Trump a statue with a 24-karat gold base.
This diplomacy has helped insulate Apple from Trump’s most severe tariffs. However, iPhones imported into the U.S. still face duties of about 25 percent. This has fueled speculation that Apple will announce its first widespread price increase in five years to protect its hefty profit margins.
iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 price hike
Since 2020, Apple has charged $800 for its basic iPhone and $1,200 for its top model, but analysts now believe the company may raise prices by $50 to $100 on some of the new models. If Apple announces these price hikes, it will come just weeks after Google held steady on prices for its new Pixel smartphones.
No drastic change
Whatever Apple ends up charging for the next iPhone, the new lineup isn’t expected to be drastically different from last year’s model—the first designed for a wide range of new artificial intelligence features. While the iPhone 16 was popular, its sales didn’t meet analysts’ expectations because Apple failed to deliver all the promised AI improvements, including a smarter and more versatile Siri assistant. The Siri improvements have since been pushed back to next year.
This has lowered expectations for this year’s lineup, which will likely include the usual improvements in camera quality and battery life along with a slightly redesigned appearance. The most significant new twist could be the introduction of an ultra-thin iPhone dubbed “Air,” a moniker Apple already uses for its sleekest iPads and Mac computers.
According to Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson, the relatively minor updates to recent iPhone models are raising questions about Apple’s ability to innovate in the fast-moving era of AI. “Apple is reaching a tipping point, and I expect 2026 and 2027 to be pivotal years”.
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