Apple's $100 iPhone hike falls on four models that got no new hardware
PCMag ties the increases to memory and component costs, and GF Securities' Jeff Pu expects the $1,999 foldable Duo to carry the cycle even though nobody can order one for another five weeks.
The Product Desk
What happened
- Apple raised iPhone prices by $100 across the lineup, putting the iPhone 17 at $899, the 17e at $699, the Air at $1,099 and the two-year-old iPhone 16 at $799.
- The new iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299, each $100 above the launch price of the 17 Pro model it replaces.
- GF Securities' Jeff Pu told clients the $100 Pro increase came in below the $200 to $250 the market expected, and that the $1,999 Duo landed at the low end of an expected $2,000 to $2,500 range.
Why it matters
- What it costs cost The buyer of a carryover phone pays $100 more for hardware that did not change this year, so the person shopping for last year's model at a discount is funding the increase.
- Who has to decide decision Trade-in and leasing become the discount channel: an iPhone 17 Pro credit takes an 18 Pro to $314 up front, letting Apple hold the sticker price and still move units.
- What it limits constraint Rivals and accessory makers have to set fourth-quarter prices before the Duo takes a single order, with only iPhone 18 Pro lead times to read.
- What doesn't add up contradiction Pu treats the smaller hike as relief for demand while keeping a hold rating on margin pressure.
Next story · Product · Oct 9
Apple reportedly cuts October iPhone 18 Pro component orders by 15% as memory costs riseConfirmed11 publishers
A shopper looking for the cheap option finds the iPhone 16 at $799. That is $100 more than the newer iPhone 17e, with half the storage and an older processor, though Tom's Guide credits the 16 with a better camera setup and faster charging [13]. The least expensive current iPhone on Apple's site is the $699 17e [18].
PCMag puts the increases down to rising global memory and component costs and says they were a long time coming [4]. Per PCMag, former CEO Tim Cook hinted at "unavoidable" price hikes in mid-June, when Apple raised prices on Macs, HomePods, iPads and the Vision Pro [6]. Tom's Guide credits ongoing component shortages [5]. Neither publisher says what Apple pays for memory.
GF Securities' Jeff Pu, in a note seen by 9to5Mac, said the $100 Pro increase came in below market expectations of $200 to $250 [12], so Apple left $100 to $150 of expected price rise on the table [20]. Pu reads that as a margin problem. He wrote that the iPhone 18 series will likely face margin pressure alongside limited hardware upgrades [23], and that his firm remains "cautious on the iPhone 18 Pro product cycle" [24]. His recommendation is hold, which under GF Securities' system implies expected relative stock performance between -10% and 10% [25].
The Duo's $1,999 came in at the low end of an expected $2,000 to $2,500 range, a dollar under the bottom of it [15][21], and Pu expects Apple to ship 7 million units through the end of the year [15]. His fourth-quarter build forecast is 57 million iPhone 18-series units and 76 million iPhones overall, down 7% from a year earlier [26]. Seven million is about 12% of that 18-series figure, although the 7 million covers the rest of the year and the 57 million is one quarter's build [27]. "Consumer interest in iPhone Duo appears strong, driven by Apple's first major form-factor innovation in years and a differentiated large-screen experience," Pu wrote, adding that he sees "post-launch order lead time and supply-chain build revisions as key indicators to watch" [16].
Nobody can place a Duo order yet. Preorders open on Oct 16 and ship Oct 23, five weeks behind the 18 Pro, which took preorders on Sept 12 and ships Sept 18 [9][22].
Financing absorbs much of the sticker increase. Apple Upgrade starts at $34.99 a month for 24 months on the 18 Pro [8]; those payments come to $839.76, so $359.24 of the $1,199 price is left to settle if the customer keeps the phone [30]. Trade-in moves more money: a maximum $885 credit for an iPhone 17 Pro [28] brings an 18 Pro to $314 up front [29].
Four of the six iPhones Apple now lists went up $100 with no new hardware this year: the 17, 17e, Air and 16 [17]. At the same event, the $129 AirPods 5 put active noise cancellation at a price that used to be $179 [10], $50 less for the same feature [19].
What to watch
- Whether GF Securities moves off its hold rating on Apple once Duo orders open and lead times are visible.
Clarity's read
What the record supports and how the coverage leans. The claims behind it follow.
Reality
- Evidence78
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+20
- Incentives50
- Confidence70
Perspective Coverage
30 publishers- Builder
- Builder 25%
- Operator
- Operator 56%
- Investor
- Investor 19%
Claim ledger
Ranked by verification strength, evidence, and original report placement.
- [1]
Apple has raised prices across its smartphone lineup by $100.
- [2]
Apple's older models rose $100 each: iPhone 17 from $799 to $899, iPhone 17e from $599 to $699, iPhone Air from $999 to $1,099, iPhone 16 from $699 to $799.
- [3]
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, up from $1,099 for the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, up from $1,199 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
- [4]
The price hikes were a long time coming, due to rising global memory and component costs.
- [5]
Due to ongoing component shortages, Apple quietly increased the prices of the iPhone 16, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e and iPhone Air by $100 on its site.
- [6]
Former CEO Tim Cook dropped hints about "unavoidable" price hikes in mid-June, and the company immediately bumped prices on Macs, HomePods, iPads, and the Vision Pro.
- [7]
Apple has discontinued the older iPhone 17 Pro models.
- [8]
Apple Upgrade leasing starts at $34.99 per month for 24 months on the iPhone 18 Pro and $37.99 on the 18 Pro Max; at the end of the plan the customer can pay off the balance and keep the device, return it, or upgrade.
- [9]
Preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro models begin Sept. 12 with shipments starting Sept. 18; Duo preorders begin Oct. 16 with shipments starting Oct. 23.
- [10]
The standard $129 AirPods 5 adds active noise cancellation, which was previously only found on the more expensive $179 AirPods 4 with ANC models; the $149 version adds a wireless charging case, longer battery life and stem touch controls. They launch Sept. 18 alongside the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 and the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
- [11]
The new foldable iPhone Duo is priced at $1,999.
- [12]
Apple's $100 price hike for the new iPhone 18 Pro models came in below market expectations, which had pegged it at the $200-250 range.
- [13]
At $799 the iPhone 16 is $100 more than the iPhone 17e yet has half the storage and an older processor; it does have a better camera setup and faster charging.
- [14]
Apple claims the iPhone 18 Pro Max will last up to 45 hours playing video, an increase of 6 hours over the iPhone 17 Pro Max; Tom's Guide has seen much more modest gains on its own battery test.
- [15]
Pu said the $1,999 iPhone Duo came in at the low end of the expected $2,000-2,500 price range and that he expects Apple to ship 7 million units through the end of the year.
- [16]
"Consumer interest in iPhone Duo appears strong, driven by Apple's first major form-factor innovation in years and a differentiated large-screen experience, thus we view iPhone Duo as a key demand driver for the iPhone 18 family and see post-launch order lead time and supply-chain build revisions as key indicators to watch."
- [17]
Of the six iPhones Apple currently lists apart from the Duo, four (17, 17e, Air, 16) rose $100 without new hardware this year, while the other two are the newly launched 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.
- [18]
The cheapest current iPhone on Apple's site after the increases is the $699 iPhone 17e.
- [19]
Active noise cancellation now costs $50 less at Apple's entry price than it did on the AirPods 4 with ANC.
- [20]
At $100, the iPhone 18 Pro increase is $100 to $150 below the $200-250 the market expected.
- [21]
The Duo's $1,999 price is $1 below the bottom of the expected $2,000-2,500 range.
- [22]
Duo preorders open 34 days after iPhone 18 Pro preorders (Sept. 12 to Oct. 16) and ship 35 days later (Sept. 18 to Oct. 23), about five weeks in each case.
- [23]
"the iPhone 18 series [will] likely face margin pressure, alongside limited hardware upgrades"
- [24]
GF Securities remains "cautious on the iPhone 18 Pro product cycle."
- [25]
Pu set a "hold" recommendation on Apple stock; under GF Securities' rating system a "Hold" implies expected relative stock performance of between -10% and 10%.
- [26]
GF Securities' iPhone build forecast for the fourth quarter of 2026 calls for 57 million iPhone 18-series units and 76 million iPhones overall, down 7% from the year-ago quarter.
- [27]
Pu's 7 million Duo units are about 12% of his 57 million fourth-quarter iPhone 18-series build figure, though the two cover different periods.
- [28]
Apple's trade-in maximums: $885 for the iPhone 17 Pro, $785 for the 17 Pro Max, and $585 for the iPhone Air and iPhone 17.
- [29]
A maximum $885 trade-in credit for an iPhone 17 Pro leaves $314 to pay on an $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro.
- [30]
Twenty-four payments of $34.99 total $839.76, leaving $359.24 of the iPhone 18 Pro's $1,199 price to settle at the end of the lease.
Sources
29 independent publishers whose own reporting we read for this story.
- 9to5mac.comNew iPhone 18 Pro price rises perhaps not as bad as some feared
6 articles · September 11, 2026
- apple.comApple introduces AirPods 5 with best-in-class open-ear Active Noise Cancellation - Apple
1 article · September 9, 2026
- arstechnica.comApple debuts $129 AirPods 5 with better noise cancellation and transparency mode
2 articles · September 9, 2026
- bgr.comApple Announces New AirPods 5 (But These Don't Have Cameras Yet)
1 article · September 9, 2026
- cnet.comApple Introduces New AirPods 5 With Improved Noise Canceling - CNET
2 articles · September 9, 2026
- cultofmac.comiPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo: Pricing, preorders and launch dates | Cult of Mac
2 articles · September 9, 2026
- digitaltrends.comiPhone 18 Pro is lined up for a price hike, but it’s not as steep as you might fear - Digital Trends
5 articles · September 9, 2026
- engadget.comApple Increases Older iPhone Prices By $100
2 articles · September 10, 2026
- gizmodo.comAirPods 5 vs. AirPods 4: ANC Isn’t the Only Upgrade
2 articles · September 10, 2026
- gsmarena.comiPhone 18 Pro and Duo pricing overview - GSMArena.com news
2 articles · September 10, 2026
- macrumors.comiPhone 18 Pro Price Hike to Be Lower Than Expected
3 articles · September 13, 2026
- macstories.netApple Introduces Two AirPods 5 Models - MacStories
1 article · September 9, 2026
- macworld.com5 really cool things about the new AirPods 5 | Macworld
2 articles · September 9, 2026
- mashable.comApple AirPods 5 announced: Price, new features, release date | Mashable
3 articles · September 9, 2026
- mobilesyrup.comApple reveals AirPods 5, offering 50% better noise cancellation
2 articles · September 9, 2026
- notebookcheck.net$1,099 for an iPhone 17: Apple iPhone Air and iPhone 17(e) are getting more expensive - Notebookcheck News
1 article · September 9, 2026
- pcmag.comApple AirPods 5 Are Official, Somehow Cheaper Than AirPods 4 | PCMag
3 articles · September 10, 2026
- Apple AirPods 5 are here with upgraded noise cancelation - SoundGuys
soundguys.com
1 article · September 9, 2026
- t3.comApple AirPods 5 are even more pro than ever – bigger battery, better ANC and live translation | T3
1 article · September 9, 2026
- techcrunch.comThere are new shiny iPhones, so Apple is making you pay more for older models | TechCrunch
1 article · September 9, 2026
- techradar.comApple's all-new AirPods 5 bring 'the industry's best Active Noise Cancellation' to an open-ear design — preorder now for just $129 | TechRadar
2 articles · September 9, 2026
- theverge.comWhere to preorder the Apple AirPods 5
1 article · September 11, 2026
- thurrott.comApple’s New $129 AirPods 5 Come With Active Noise Cancellation By Default
1 article · September 9, 2026
- AirPods 5 Improve Noise Cancellation, Gain More AirPods Pro Features - TidBITS
tidbits.com
1 article · September 9, 2026
- tomsguide.comiPhone 18 Pro is almost certainly getting a price hike — but it could be less than we feared | Tom's Guide
5 articles · September 10, 2026
- trustedreviews.comThe new AirPods 5 get some of the best AirPods Pro features - Trusted Reviews
2 articles · September 9, 2026
- uk.pcmag.comApple AirPods 5 Are Official, Somehow Cheaper Than AirPods 4
1 article · September 9, 2026
- whathifi.comApple AirPods 5 boast 50% improved ANC and updated acoustic architecture for a "richer, more detailed sound" | What Hi-Fi?
1 article · September 9, 2026
- wired.comWhich iPhone 18 Model Should You Buy?
1 article · September 10, 2026
- zdnet.comHow to preorder the new iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and everything else Apple announced - ZDNET
1 article · September 9, 2026