With the iPhone 17 launch event looming, one of the biggest questions we still have is whether the prices are going to go up or not. Plenty of rumors have claimed that yes, prices will increase, but the latest report suggests otherwise. Apparently only one iPhone 17 will get a price hike, but it's down to a fairly good reason.
According to a research note by JP Morgan (via 9to5Mac), only the iPhone 17 Pro is set to increase in price — with $100 being added to the price tag. But, just like what Apple did with iPhone 15 Pro Max, this is reportedly happening because Apple's scrapping the 128GB storage option.
So while the cost of entry is going to be $100 more than last year, it's still the same price as the equivalent iPhone 16 Pro. So it is a price hike, but also not. Apple's apparently just not giving you the option to nerf your storage in exchange for saving $100. Assuming, of course, that the report is true.
It's a change that's going to happen at some point. We've already seen the ultra-premium phone start ditching 128GB of storage, since it's becoming less and less useful on modern smartphones. Samsung has done it, Google just did it, and it makes perfect sense that Apple would do it again with its second most expensive model.
Being asked to pay more for your phone isn't ideal, but at least you're getting double the storage space Apple hasn't just increased the price without offering something fairly substantial in return.
Plus, given how many previously Pro-exclusive features have been making their way to the entry-level iPhones, the fact the iPhone 17 will apparently stay at $799 means you do have a solid alternative that doesn't cost quite as much.
Of course we won't know for sure until Apple actually confirms the prices next week, at the iPhone 17 launch event. In the meantime be sure to check out all the latest news and rumors about the upcoming phones in our iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max hubs.
