I looked at iPhone prices dating back to 2007. Should we increase the tariff

President Donald Trump wants Apple to make iPhones in the United States, the best-selling product. Last week, he threatened to impose a 25% tariff on phone calls if the company does not achieve that.

Trump posted Truth Social on Truth Social: “I told Tim Cook early on that I hope their iPhone will be sold in the United States and will be made and built in the United States rather than India or anywhere else.” “If that's not the case, Apple has to pay the U.S. at least 25% tariff.” Trump later added that the tariffs will apply to any smartphone made outside the United States.

Since Trump touted as “Liberation Day,” the possible impact of tariffs on iPhone prices has been widely discussed. Apple is the third largest company in the United States, and most of its products are made in China. Obviously, the ubiquity of the iPhone makes it a symbol of ongoing uncertainty in the United States' economic and political areas.

Despite tariffs and politics, iPhone prices remain the same this year. But regardless of what Trump says, the rumored iPhone 17 launch this fall may bring higher prices at a higher price. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is considering a rise and may attribute the rise to new and updated features rather than tariffs. I agree.

iPhone has not seen a price increase in five years, the price it should have. Historically, this is the longest time the company has been in five years between the iPhone 5 and iPhone 7, and it is the iPhone 8 launch at a higher cost. We can learn a lot by looking at how the company handles early price increases (and one-time drops) and what it means for the iPhone 17.

To figure out what we're going to like for price increases, I've divided iPhone models into several categories: Standard, Flagship, and Behemoth. This standard includes models like the original iPhone, iPhone 8, iPhone XR and iPhone 16. Flagships include variants like iPhone X, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro. The behemoth's name works for phones like the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Other versions sold by Apple, such as the iPhone 5C, SE series, iPhone mini series and the current iPhone Plus series, are not included in this analysis. Also, I use the US starting price for every iPhone before applying any carrier discount. Let's dive.

Standard iPhone price

Since its debut in 2007, the price of the standard iPhone has increased four times and has 1 correction. Many people may remember paying $199 for the original iPhone, but in fact, the phone costs $499. In 2008, Apple raised the price of the iPhone 3G launch to $100 to $599, where it stayed there for four years. Then in 2012, the iPhone 5 comes with a taller, 4-inch screen and a higher, $649 price tag.

Fast forward to 2017, the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and the iPhone 8 debuted at $699, an increase of $50. The price of the standard iPhone changes every year between 2017 and 2019. In 2018, the iPhone XR was launched at $749. The following year, the iPhone 11 came out and the price dropped to $699. What makes the drop interesting is that the iPhone 11 is the first standard Apple phone with two rear cameras: wide-angle and super-speed models. Until then, all other standard iPhone models had only one rear camera. From 2007 to 2019, when Apple prices rose, the price was $50 between the first and second iPhone models.

Then 2020 happened. It's been a wild year for iPhone and everyone because of the pandemic. But Apple managed to launch the iPhone 12 at $829, marking the largest increase in the standard iPhone: $130. The subsequent models all come with the same price: iPhone 13, 14, 15 and 16 are priced at $829.

If Apple follows its previous model, the standard iPhone will rise at the price. The last pay raise was five years ago in 2020, when Apple never raised the price for the standard model for six years. But, like between the iPhone 7, 8 and XR, will the company slowly raise prices in a few years? Or will you do your best like the iPhone 12?

The standard iPhone is Apple's most popular, and to be sure, the iPhone 17 will cost more (even if Trump is not elected). Now we just need to doubt how much tariffs and politics are likely to drive prices up.

Flagship: iPhone Pro model price

Apple doesn't always have an iPhone Pro version, but it does start with 2017 with the iPhone X starting at $999. The phone debuted next to the $699 iPhone 8, making the $50 increase seem nothing.

But this is where things get interesting. Apple has never raised the price of the iPhone Pro model. iPhone X, XS, 11 Pro, 12 Pro, 13 Pro, 14 Pro, 15 Pro and 16 Pro are priced at $999. That was eight years, and there was no price increase!

What’s even more shocking is when you correct inflation: The 2017 iPhone X’s $999 price was $1,298 in 2025, according to the Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator. The iPhone Pro is going to be priced at a price, and I hope the iPhone 17 Pro will cost more.

Behemoth: iPhone Plus, Max and Pro Max prices

Since 2014, Apple has sold large versions of the iPhone. Some of them are just larger versions of the standard iPhone, with a larger screen and battery and some smaller differences, such as the iPhone 6 plus the iPhone 6 with optical image stabilization on the camera. But starting with the iPhone 7 Plus, the larger versions start with “Pro” features, such as a second rear camera and portrait mode.

In terms of price, the iPhone 6 Plus debuted at $749, $100 more than the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6s Plus and 7 Plus are priced at $749. In 2017, Apple owns three iPhone models: $699 iPhone 8, $749 iPhone 8 Plus ($50 more than the 7 Plus), and $999 iPhone X.

In 2018, Apple launched the $1,099 iPhone XS Max, which I think is the true successor to the original iPhone Plus lineup. This means Big iPhone has increased by $350 a year, the largest Apple company ever. I admit that some people may not think the XS Max is a follow-up to Plus and think it's a brand new iPhone version. But this is my comment.

Like the iPhone Pro, the Max and Pro Max have been priced the same for years. In 2023, Apple raised entry barriers to the Pro Max model and did not offer the $1,099 iPhone 15 Pro Max and offer 128GB of storage. Instead, you have to pay $1,199 for the 256GB version, which technically costs the same amount of storage as the iPhone 14 Pro Max with 256GB.

Prices for iPhone 17 and 17 Pro

Even without tariffs, it is safe to assume that some models of iPhone 17 lineups will be more expensive. But when you consider everything that’s going on this year, it’s hard to measure the price rise, and whether that affects only one or two models, or applies throughout the iPhone 17 series.

Earlier this year, Apple raised the price of its most affordable models. Although it lacks the SE brand of the previous low-cost iPhone, the iPhone 16E costs $599, which is $170 more than the $429 iPhone SE (2022).

Apple doesn't talk about unissued products or prices. However, we do have an unusual advice on how these tariffs affect companies.

“Assuming current global tariff rates, policies and applications will not change the balance for the quarter, nor will new tariffs be added, we estimate that our expenses will increase by $900 million,” Apple CEO Tim said on a quarterly revenue call on May 1.

Obviously, this $900 million figure is not only for iPhone, but also for all Apple products. It was three weeks, and Trump threatened another type of tariff purely on iPhones. But for any company, $900 million is a lot of swallowing and will eventually need to make up for the added costs. This usually means higher prices, even if Trump oppresses Apple will increase attributed to “new designs and features.”

If it's certain that when Apple launches its next-generation iPhone models at its September event, we'll know exactly what those prices will be.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.