iPhone 17 Holds $799 Value After 1 Year as Apple Delays Standard iPhone 18

Q: Will rising component costs force Apple to shockingly increase the year-old iPhone 17's price at the upcoming September 9 event?

Probably not a shock increase, but a price rise is plausible. The strongest reporting says Apple is weighing iPhone price hikes because component costs have risen and rivals such as Samsung and Google have already nudged premium phone prices up by about $100. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that iPhone increases now look likely, though Apple was still deciding the exact amount. That makes some upward move credible. What is less clear is whether Apple would raise the year-old base iPhone 17 itself at the Sept. 9 event. Normally, Apple cuts the previous standard model when a new standard iPhone arrives. This year, the standard iPhone 18 is widely rumored to be delayed until March 2027, meaning the iPhone 17 may stay in the lineup without the usual immediate discount. That alone could make it effectively more expensive than buyers expected, even if Apple simply leaves the $799 list price unchanged. A direct increase on a one-year-old model would be unusual, so “shockingly” is too strong based on current evidence. The more likely outcomes are no discount, a modest upward adjustment, or higher effective pricing through fewer promotions at Apple’s own store. Even if Apple does lift the sticker price, carriers, trade-in credits, and Apple’s financing and leasing programs are likely to soften the blow and keep the iPhone 17 competitive. So the risk of a higher iPhone 17 price is real, but the evidence points to a limited or tactical move, not an extraordinary jolt.

3 articles · Updated · Boy Genius Report · Sep 1

$799 iPhone 17 still looks like a strong buy heading into Apple’s Sept. 9 launch event because no direct standard-model iPhone 18 replacement is expected until March.
A 6.3-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, A19 chip and 256GB base storage keep the phone competitive with newer flagships, while battery life reaches 30 hours of video playback and wired charging tops 40W.
Benchmark results show the iPhone 17 scoring 3,783 single-core and 9,534 multi-core in Geekbench 6, ahead of the Pixel 11 and close to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, reinforcing its high-end positioning.
Price is the main uncertainty: instead of the usual cut on an outgoing base model, reports suggest Apple could even raise iPhone 17 pricing as RAM and storage costs climb and the company shifts focus to pricier Pro and foldable models.