After nearly a decade of maintaining a $999 starting price for its premium iPhone models (approximately 28.9 million VND in the Vietnamese market), Apple is reportedly preparing to adjust the pricing of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro, expected to launch in September this year.

According to Wall Street Journal, this price increase could be accompanied by significant design and feature enhancements. However, Apple is likely to carefully craft its messaging to avoid suggesting that this is a direct consequence of US tariffs on Chinese goods.

Since 2017, Apple has been navigating through turbulent waters of tariff fluctuations, especially after the Trump administration imposed tariffs as high as 145% on certain imports from China, the primary production hub for iPhones. While the two countries have since reached a temporary agreement, reducing tariffs to around 30%, the surge in costs remains a challenge. In a recent investor call, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that the company could lose up to $900 million this quarter due to these additional tariffs.

After years of stable pricing, the premium iPhone lineup will see a price hike this year. Photo: HardwareZone

In this context, Apple is accelerating its plans to shift production out of China, aiming to have a significant portion of iPhones sold in the US assembled in India by the end of next year. However, the high-end Pro and Pro Max models will continue to be manufactured in China for the foreseeable future.

Apple has not officially confirmed this information, but the price adjustment after years of criticism for a lack of innovation could be seen as an attempt to refresh the product’s image and test customer loyalty. The question remains: will customers be willing to pay more for the latest upgrades, or will they perceive this as Apple sacrificing user experience to protect profit margins?

According to The Wall Street Journal

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