Apple masks price increase for iPhone 17 Pro with extra storage
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro is about to become more expensive. According to rumors, the price will increase by $50, putting it over the $1,000 mark for the first time in the US. Apple is attempting to justify the increase by offering more storage with the entry-level model.
For years, an iPhone Pro has started with only 128GB of storage. For a smartphone in this price range, that's very little. What doesn't help then is an even higher starting price. Apple is trying to ease the pain a bit with double the storage. Thus, the iPhone 17 Pro will soon come with at least 256GB of storage.
According to Apple's website, upgrading from 128GB to 256GB costs an additional $100. If Apple equips the entry-level model with 256GB, it would seem positive for consumers at first glance. However, as is often the case, the situation is more nuanced.
Very higher price for Europe
If 128 GB is enough for you, then you will also face a price increase. Furthermore, upgrading the memory here costs not $100, but €130. With the current Euro-Dollar exchange rate, a $999 iPhone Pro should actually cost €853. In real terms, however, it costs €1,229—44% more.
The price increase is due to import duties imposed by the U.S. government. These duties are paid by companies importing goods to the U.S. tax authorities. While the US government prefers that companies pay these tariffs themselves, in practice, the cost will be passed on to consumers.
Smart move by Apple
Anyone who does so can usually expect an angry tweet from the current U.S. president, Donald Trump. To avoid that fuss, Apple is tying the price increase to an increase in storage. This allows Apple to publicly claim that the price increase is due to increased storage capacity rather than import taxes.
Moreover, it doesn't cost Apple that much to put more memory in the iPhone 17 Pro. The actual cost is low, and Apple's memory upgrades are considered the most expensive in the industry. It will cost Apple some money, but not $130 that you as a consumer will pay for it.
Alternatives to a more expensive iPhone
That's all well and good, but we Europeans are not Americans. We too will not escape the price increase, however. Like other multinationals, Apple will ease the pain for Americans by spreading the price increase around the world. Sony previously did the same with the price of a PS5.
In case you don't want to bail out the US treasury, you can always buy a previous model or, of course, a refurbished iPhone.
