President Donald Trump took goal at Apple not too long ago, threatening it with a 25% tariff on all iPhones made exterior the US, which simply added extra gas to fireplace over potential value hikes for the rumored iPhone 17.
Hypothesis concerning the cellphone’s new options and upgrades (plus the prospect of an extremely skinny iPhone) has added to the anticipation because the anticipated launch date approaches. However there are many elements that may have an effect on the worth of an iPhone, together with tariffs, manufacturing prices and the general well being of the US economic system.
My colleague Patrick Holland has been reviewing telephones for CNET since 2016, and monitoring costs through the years. He says the brand new iPhone is due for a value hike no matter what occurs with tariffs.
Trump’s Nationwide Financial Council Director Kevin Hassett tried to downplay the impression of a possible tariff in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday.
“Everyone is making an attempt to make it appear to be it is a disaster if there is a tiny little tariff on them proper now, to attempt to negotiate down the tariffs,” he mentioned.
Apple didn’t reply to a request for remark for an earlier model of this story.
We can’t know the precise value for the following iPhone till its launch, which is predicted to be in September. However we have pored over all of the leaks, rumors and predictions about costs, and we discovered methods that will help you save if a brand new iPhone is in your future.
How tariffs may have an effect on the price of the following iPhone
Amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff bender, increased reciprocal tariffs are at present on pause. Nonetheless, Trump took to social media on Might 28, threatening Apple with a 25% tariff on all iPhones made exterior the US, though the timeline is unclear. There’s at present a ten% baseline tariff on all imports and a 30% tariff on items from China, the place Apple nonetheless manufactures most of its merchandise. These charges may additionally begin to rise in July when the preliminary tariff pause expires, which may result in increased costs on every little thing — together with the rumored iPhone 17.
Apple seems to have dodged loads of the preliminary tariff impression. It stockpiled telephones earlier than tariffs took impact, and Trump’s exemption checklist included many telephones, laptops and different electronics that Apple produces.
The tech large has additionally moved some US iPhone manufacturing from China to India, which at present has a decrease tariff charge. Nonetheless, Trump referred to as out Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner to as an alternative transfer iPhone manufacturing to the US. Most specialists take into account this an unrealistic demand, particularly within the brief time period, due to increased labor and manufacturing prices within the US. Estimates have advised {that a} US-made iPhone would price as a lot as $3,500.
That leaves costs for the following iPhone in limbo. Trump’s administration referred to as the exemption checklist “momentary” in early April, saying that exemptions would finish in “a month or two.” Across the similar time, Trump mentioned that semiconductors, which energy tech merchandise, will finally be positioned in a distinct “tariff bucket.” Nonetheless, no particulars have been shared concerning the timeline or anticipated tariff percentages.
With all of the reprieves showing to be momentary, tariffs may nonetheless doubtlessly have an effect on costs by the point the rumored iPhone 17 is predicted to be launched.
If the unique reciprocal tariff pause expires, as an illustration, taxes on imports from India would rise from 10% to 26% beginning in July. If the 90-day pause for China expires, tariffs on that nation would soar from 30% to 145% in August. It is unclear if Apple’s 25% tariff could be along with or as an alternative of particular person international locations’ import duties.
Consultants level out {that a} tariff charge hike does not essentially imply an iPhone’s value would enhance on the similar charge, however most anticipate not less than some impression.
And the place the cellphone is assembled is just a part of the tariff equation. Apple sources elements for the iPhone from dozens of different international locations, which may additionally doubtlessly have an effect on the worth.
Primarily based on the place tariffs stand now, this is how a lot you might doubtlessly pay for the following iPhone primarily based on present iPhone 16 costs. These are our estimates and never official pricing from Apple:
Potential iPhone value with nation and Apple tariffs
| Present value | Present 10% tariff on items from India | Potential 26% tariff for India | Present 30% tariff on items from China | Potential 145% tariff for China | |
| iPhone 16E (128GB) | $599 | $809 | $904 | $928 | $1,617 |
| iPhone 16 (128GB) | $829 | $1,119 | $1,252 | $1,285 | $2,238 |
| iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) | $929 | $1,254 | $1,403 | $1,440 | $2,508 |
| iPhone 16 Professional (128GB) | $999 | $1,349 | $1,508 | $1,548 | $2,697 |
| iPhone 16 Professional Max (256GB) | $1,199 | $1,619 | $1,810 | $1,858 | $3,237 |
| iPhone 16 Professional Max (1TB) | $1,599 | $2,159 | $2,414 | $2,478 | $4,317 |
If the 25% Apple tariff takes impact, this is the potential value enhance for a brand new iPhone, primarily based on the present iPhone 16 costs. Once more, Apple might not increase costs at a 1-to-1 charge with tariff hikes, however this desk incorporates each reciprocal and potential Apple particular tariffs to calculate potential costs:
Potential iPhone costs with reciprocal and Apple tariffs mixed
| Present value | Present 10% tariff on items from India | Potential 26% tariff for India | Present 30% tariff on items from China | Potential 145% tariff for China | |
| iPhone 16E (128GB) | $599 | $809 | $904 | $928 | $1,617 |
| iPhone 16 (128GB) | $829 | $1,119 | $1,252 | $1,285 | $2,238 |
| iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) | $929 | $1,254 | $1,403 | $1,440 | $2,508 |
| iPhone 16 Professional (128GB) | $999 | $1,349 | $1,508 | $1,548 | $2,697 |
| iPhone 16 Professional Max (256GB) | $1,199 | $1,619 | $1,810 | $1,858 | $3,237 |
| iPhone 16 Professional Max (1TB) | $1,599 | $2,159 | $2,414 | $2,478 | $4,317 |
What else may trigger the brand new iPhone’s value to extend?
Trump instantly criticized retailers like Walmart and Amazon once they advised that tariffs may lead to increased costs, so it stands to purpose that Apple will not immediately blame tariffs for potential value hikes to keep away from a Trump tirade.
Fairly, Apple may attribute the worth enhance to improved options and design prices. No matter tariffs, Apple has plans to boost iPhone costs this yr, The Wall Road Journal reported.
Consultants say Apple could also be overdue for a value enhance in any case. It has been 5 years for the reason that fundamental iPhone mannequin elevated in value, and every iteration of the iPhone usually improves on options from the final model.
Holland notes that the bottom iPhone mannequin hasn’t gone up in value since 2020. His analysis factors to the usual iPhone mannequin’s value growing roughly each 5 years, between $50 and $130. Primarily based on this proof and the iPhone 16’s present value of $829, we may anticipate the brand new iPhone to price someplace between $879 and $959.
What’s going to the iPhone 17 Air price?
Early rumors had the iPhone 17 Air topping the iPhone Professional in value. Nonetheless, a March Bloomberg report advised the cellphone may price round $900, much like the present iPhone 16 Plus’s price ticket. These estimates are primarily based on the present prices and will not embody the potential impression tariffs may have on an ultrathin iPhone’s value.
How the economic system may have an effect on iPhone costs
Uncertainty within the US economic system — partly as a result of aforementioned tariff turmoil — has left many cautious about what’s to return. Whereas the current settlement with China to pause tariffs helped the inventory market to largely recuperate from the dive it took after Trump’s Liberation Day, that reprieve provides solely momentary reduction.
Issues concerning the dangers of upper unemployment and better inflation have left the Federal Reserve in wait-and-see mode for reducing rates of interest. Larger rates of interest could cause corporations like Apple to tug again on spending and funding. Mixed with increased tariffs, that pullback may doubtlessly result in international provide chain disruptions. Fewer iPhones out there available in the market may result in increased costs.
If inflation resurges, rising prices may pressure Apple to extend the following iPhone’s value.
One tiny vibrant aspect, in idea, is {that a} weakening economic system may pressure Apple to carry off on elevating costs so it may keep aggressive. However that won’t provide a lot comfort for those who’re nervous about spending cash due to a possible recession.
Will older iPhones price extra, too?
One solution to save on Apple merchandise is to purchase final yr’s mannequin as an alternative of the latest launch. Nonetheless, if the brand new iPhone is dramatically costlier when it is launched, demand may enhance for the older fashions. That might result in value hikes on older fashions, too.
The flip aspect of that is that if the brand new iPhone’s costs rise and you’ve got an older iPhone, your outdated iPhone would additionally doubtless enhance in worth, Holland mentioned.
Buying and selling or promoting a used iPhone can assist offset the fee for those who do resolve to purchase the brand new iPhone.
Different methods Apple may increase costs
Even when Apple decides to carry the following iPhone’s value regular, there are different methods for the tech large to recoup elevated prices.
Apple may doubtlessly offset the impression of tariffs by elevating the worth on its companies — together with its music, information and information plans — in accordance with provide chain skilled Joe Hudicka.
“We’ll see these markups within the subscription companies first as a result of they’re going to seem smaller,” he mentioned. “Customers will nonetheless pay, simply not unexpectedly.”
Ought to we imagine rumors and hypothesis about iPhone costs?
So critically, how a lot is a brand new iPhone going to price? The reality is, we won’t say with any certainty what the ultimate numbers might be. Our assessments are primarily based on ever-changing tariff insurance policies, previous pricing tendencies, rumors and leaks which are generally primarily based on insider data. However till Apple releases the rumored iPhone 17, we are able to solely provide our greatest estimates for a way a lot the ultimate price ticket might be.
