Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming fall iPhone lineup, a move it hopes will be accompanied by a slew of new features and design changes, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
The report also said that Apple is trying hard to avoid the impression that the price increases are due to U.S. tariffs on goods from China, where most of Apple's devices are assembled. The new iPhones due out this fall include several design and format changes, including an ultra-thin design.
Investment bank Jefferies estimates that of the roughly 65 million iPhones Apple sold in the U.S. last year, about 36 million to 39 million were Pro or Pro Max models. This fall’s lineup is expected to include a thinner model that will replace the current iPhone 16 Plus, which sells for $899 in the U.S.
The report said that Apple CEO Tim Cook is “facing pressure from the U.S.-China trade conflict, which is threatening Apple’s supply chain.” In response, he stockpiled inventory in March before the tariffs were announced and shifted manufacturing for the U.S. market to India. Cook said earlier this month that the majority of iPhones shipped to the U.S. in the April-June quarter would come from India.
