Apple may be preparing to raise prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 series, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities. While price hike rumors have swirled for years, Apple has typically kept the starting price steady, but current global economic pressures could force a change. 
Pu’s research note, shared by MacRumors, suggests the iPhone 17 lineup will be more expensive than the iPhone 16 series, though no exact figures were provided.
Earlier speculation hinted at a $50 increase for some models, but not all devices in the range will be affected. Notably, the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to start with 256GB of storage-matching the iPhone 17 Pro Max-potentially softening the blow for buyers by offering double the base storage compared to older models. This approach mirrors the iPhone 15 Pro Max launch, where Apple dropped the 128GB option, introduced 256GB as the entry level, and raised the price from $1,099 to $1,199.
If Apple extends this 256GB baseline across the entire iPhone 17 family, it could justify the increase while keeping value perception high. However, competition remains fierce, and the company will need every marketing angle to keep customers on board. Based on current trends, the starting price for the new series could begin around $849, but final details remain unconfirmed.