Apple hikes iPhone prices by $100 after unveiling its new iPhone 18 series and iPhone Duo
Apple announced its latest iPhone lineup during its September event yesterday, introducing the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. However, the arrival of the new models has also brought a change to Apple’s older iPhones – we’ve compared them all in the table below. The new 18 series also comes with an added premium.
| Model | Old price | New price |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 | $699 | $799 |
| iPhone 17e | $599 | $699 |
| iPhone 17 | $799 | $899 |
| iPhone Air | $999 | $1,099 |
iPhone price changes explained
Instead of cutting prices after launching a new generation, Apple has increased the prices of several last-gen models by $100. The changes affect the iPhone 16, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, and iPhone Air, meaning some of these devices now cost more than they did when they originally launched.
The iPhone 16, for example, was selling for $699 before yesterday’s event. Apple had reduced its price by $100 following the arrival of the iPhone 17 series last year. That discount has now effectively disappeared, as the phone will again set you back at $799. In other words, you’ll be paying the same starting price it had back in 2024.
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Prices correct as of October 9th, 2026.
Newer models haven’t been spared either, as while iPhone 17 originally launched for $799, it now starts at $899. Even the more affordable iPhone 17e has jumped from $599 to $699. The iPhone Air has also received a $100 increase, taking it from its original $999 starting price to $1,099. As for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, Apple has discontinued them following the introduction of their successors.
While Apple has increased the prices of older models, the new lineup also launches with a higher price tag. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, compared to $1,099 for the iPhone 17 Pro, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, up from the previous model’s $1,199 starting price. The new foldable iPhone Duo sits far above the rest at $1,999, so it’s in the ultra-premium category, though there is no direct comparison given its status as Apple’s first foldable device.
That said, higher component costs appear to be a major reason behind the increases. Growing demand for memory chips has pushed up costs across the tech industry, and Apple had already raised prices on several other products earlier this year. Former Apple CEO Tim Cook had also warned in June that price increases were becoming unavoidable as the company dealt with rising costs, so these price hikes don’t come completely out of the blue.
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