The recent launch event led by the new CEO John Ternus has brought to light the latest Apple hardware news, introducing the awaited iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
However, the real news shaking consumers does not reside solely in the technical specifications of the new devices, but in a new pricing policy that has hit the Italian market hard.
In a completely unexpected move, the company decided to significantly increase costs not only for the new flagship models, but also for devices of the previous generation that remained in the catalog. Paradoxically, a smartphone that has been on the market for some time suddenly becomes more expensive.
Without any official announcement, prices on the Apple Store have been bumped up for much of the device lineup already known to the public.
The most striking case concerns the iPhone 17 base which, in the absence of a corresponding 18 standard model planned only for spring 2027, suffers an increase of 150 euros. The 256 GB version therefore rises to 1,129 euros, recording an increase of over 15%, while the 512 GB cut is now priced at 1,379 euros.
An even more pronounced impact hits the iPhone 17e, a device born to oversee the most affordable tier of the catalog. With an increase of 150 euros, the 256 GB variant leaps to 879 euros, marking an approximate 20% jump, while the 512 GB configuration reaches 1,129 euros.
Also the iPhone Air family suffers heavy hikes: the 256 GB and 512 GB versions cost respectively 1,339 euros and 1,589 euros, with a €100 increase, but it is the 1 TB model that bears the hardest hit, rising from 1,739 to 2,089 euros, a net increase of 350 euros.
For the even older series, the iPhone 16 remains available only in the 128 GB variant at 1,029 euros. The 16 Plus variant disappears from the company’s official store, though it remains present on third-party e-commerce platforms like Amazon.
| Model | Previous price | Current price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 256 GB | 979 \u20ac | 1.129 \u20ac | +150 \u20ac / +15,3% |
| iPhone 17 512 GB | 1.229 \u20ac | 1.379 \u20ac | +150 \u20ac / +12,2% |
| iPhone 17e 256 GB | 729 \u20ac | 879 \u20ac | +150 \u20ac / +20,6% |
| iPhone 17e 512 GB | 979 \u20ac | 1.129 \u20ac | +150 \u20ac / +15,3% |
| iPhone Air 256 GB | 1.239 \u20ac | 1.339 \u20ac | +100 \u20ac / +8,1% |
| iPhone Air 512 GB | 1.489 \u20ac | 1.589 \u20ac | +100 \u20ac / +6,7% |
| iPhone Air 1 TB | 1.739 \u20ac | 2.089 \u20ac | +350 \u20ac / +20,1% |
The positioning of the iPhone 18 Pro series
Shifting focus to the newcomers, the price bar rises further, effectively removing the previous iPhone 17 Pro from the lineup.
The new iPhone 18 Pro, equipped with the A20 Pro chip, a main camera with variable aperture and a completely new cooling system, now starts at 1.489 euros in the 256 GB version. This represents an increase of €150, or 11.2% more than its direct predecessor.
A similar story applies to the larger model, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which sees an increase of 141 euros. Its starting price is now at 1.639 euros, recording a 9.4% increase.
Le cause dietro l’aumento dei costi
The causes behind the cost increase
Behind these dynamics, which may seem unjustified to those observing the market from the outside, lie deep tensions in the global supply chain.
The main cause of this general price spike is closely linked to the memory sector, particularly regarding the RAM and the storage modules.
The massive expansion of the data centers required to support the rapid development of artificial intelligence has literally absorbed a large portion of the world’s productive capacity. This extremely high demand has generated a shortage crisis and a consequent skyrocketing of the costs for electronic components.
Despite the California company’s solid financial position and the long-term contracts it typically enjoys, the economic pressure has become too great, forcing management to raise the entire catalog and to pass these additional costs on to the end user.
