iPhone 17 signals an unwanted trend

After 8 years of keeping the mark around 1,000 USD, the 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max version could start the trend of top-of-the-line smartphones priced at 2,000 USD or more.

iPhone 17 Pro. Photo: Bloomberg .

When Apple launched the iPhone X in 2017, it didn’t just usher in the trend of bezel-less phones and facial unlocking. In fact, the company helped create a new segment of high-end smartphones, priced at $1,000 .

Eight years later, that number has barely changed. Despite inflation and a slew of tech upgrades, the iPhone 17 Pro now starts at $1,100 , just $100 more than the iPhone X. The standard iPhone 17, meanwhile, starts at $800 , also $100 more than the equivalent 2017 model.

Before the iPhone 17 was launched, some analysts predicted that the device would increase in price, especially when US President Donald Trump threatened to impose heavy tariffs on goods imported from China.

Still, Apple tried to minimize the impact by increasing the starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro by just $100 , making up for it by doubling the base storage from 128GB to 256GB.

Replacing the iPhone 16 Plus, the ultra-thin iPhone Air also increased its price by $100 , from $800 to $900 . According to Bloomberg , this is a fairly modest adjustment when users are mentally prepared to accept a sharp price increase, some people even flocked to the Apple Store earlier this year to compete to buy the device.

Even with a modest price increase, this modest move may not last long. Apple will have a hard time paying for tariffs long term, and shifting iPhone production out of China and India won’t solve the cost problem. If you consider just one version of the iPhone 17, the era of $2,000 smartphones could soon be here.

Specifically, the iPhone 17 Pro Max adds a 2TB capacity option for the first time at $2,000 . This is the first time Apple's smartphone has reached this price point.

“Apple wouldn't set that price unless they believed a large group of customers were willing to pay it,” analyst Mark Gurman stressed.

The $2,000 figure could also be the price range for a foldable iPhone. Expected to launch next year, the device will compete with rivals like Samsung and Google. Foldable phones from these companies currently cost $1,800- $2,500 depending on the configuration.

iPhone Air. Photo: Bloomberg .

If the iPhone Air is the benchmark, the device could share many components with the foldable iPhone, so the price could be at least twice as high (around $2,000 ), not to mention high-storage options, cases, and accessories.

In a 2023 interview with WSJ , CEO Tim Cook expressed his belief that iPhone customers are willing to spend more.

“People are willing to pay as much as they can to get the best phone at the best price,” Cook said, noting that the iPhone has become “an integral part” of their lives. Many people use the device to make payments, control smart homes, track their health and store banking data.

Looking further, Apple is said to be developing a 20th anniversary iPhone version, possessing many breakthrough upgrades similar to the iPhone X.

“If the iPhone X created the $1,000 smartphone segment, the 20th anniversary iPhone model could start a trend of even more expensive phones,” Bloomberg 's writer emphasized.

Close-up of iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange, highest price 64 million VND The new orange color of iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max stands out, brighter than safe choices like yellow, blue, gray of previous years.

Source: https://znews.vn/iphone-17-bao-hieu-xu-the-khong-ai-muon-post1584549.html