Apple might be prepared to charge consumers a bit more for their next iPhone, but it’s not pointing fingers at what we all are thinking it to be. Apple is said to be preparing to push those already luxurious price points slightly higher, not due to those dreaded tariffs, this time it’s about the innovation.

According to the report of The Wall Street Journal, Apple is preparing to increase the prices in the upcoming lineup of iPhones, which will be revealed in this fall. Due to the tariffs on Chinese imports alone, the company expects to get hit with almost $900 million in third-quarter costs. However, Apple said it might not be linking the price rise directly to trade policy, instead the company might be coming up with device reasons for the expensive price tags.
Such as aesthetic upgrades or possibly for features like the much talked about ultra-thin iPhone and the anniversary version that would be manufactured in 2027.

Price Increases

People familiar with Apple’s supply chain indicate that the technology company is seeking ways to mitigate the optics of raising prices. While increasing costs related to Chinese tariffs hang over the horizon, Apple has already started to move more of its iPhone production to India to minimize exposure to the U.S-China trade war.

The firm is also gaining, at least in the short term, from a 90-day suspension of reciprocal tariffs announced Monday by both governments. The U.S has also provided tech industry exemptions on most important product categories, such as smartphones and laptops, although a 20% tariff on some Chinese products continues to apply. By coupling higher prices with innovation, the company can presumably seek to maintain its premium positioning while quietly factoring in some of the increased costs in the background.

Apple’s Vision for 2027

Apart from this year’s debut of ultra-thin iPhone release, Apple is said to have even grander plans cooking for 2027, when the iPhone reaches its 20th birthday. Apple is allegedly working on a complete design reboot that features a curved, entirely glass iPhone without a cutout, as per Mark Gurman.

Such a release would be reminiscent of the iPhone X’s bold design change in 2017, which was the phone’s 10th anniversary. If the next redesign is following the same script, Apple may be setting consumers up for incremental updates now while setting the stage for a big wow factor later.

Tactical Adjustments

Even with production realignments and tariff waivers, Apple seems to be playing its cards cautiously with incremental but tactical price adjustments. Whether consumers swallow higher prices in return for much sleeker devices and more seamless user experiences is an open question. Let’s be honest, Apple is too smart to claim tariffs are why your new iPhone will be more expensive, but it’s not difficult to read between the lines. Moving production to India, negotiating trade exemptions, and testing out futuristic designs are all clever plays, but they don’t eliminate the larger cost pressures that tech companies are up against.