The iPhone 17 signals a trend nobody wants.

After eight years of hovering around $1,000, the 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max could start a trend of flagship smartphones priced at $2,000 and above.

iPhone 17 Pro. Photo: Bloomberg .

When Apple launched the iPhone X in 2017, it not only pioneered the trend of phones with thin bezels and facial recognition unlocking. In fact, the company also helped create a new segment of high-end smartphones, priced at $1,000 .

Over the next eight years, those figures remained virtually unchanged. Despite inflation and numerous technological upgrades, the iPhone 17 Pro now starts at $1,100 , only $100 more than the iPhone X. Additionally, the standard iPhone 17 costs $800 , also $100 more than the equivalent model in 2017.

Before the iPhone 17 was released, some analysts predicted the device would increase in price, especially as US President Donald Trump threatened to impose heavy tariffs on goods imported from China.

However, Apple attempted to mitigate the impact by increasing the starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro by only $100 , offsetting it by doubling the base storage capacity from 128 GB to 256 GB.

Replacing the iPhone 16 Plus, the ultra-thin iPhone Air also increased in price by $100 , from $800 to $900 . According to Bloomberg , this is a relatively modest adjustment as users were preparing for a significant price increase; some even flocked to Apple Stores earlier this year to buy the device.

Despite the modest price increase, this gentle move may not last long. Apple is unlikely to bear the long-term cost of tariffs, and moving iPhone production out of China and India won't solve the cost problem. Considering just one version of the iPhone 17, the era of $2,000 smartphones could soon begin.

Specifically, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the first to offer a 2TB storage option at a price of $2,000 . This marks the first time an Apple smartphone has reached this price point.

"Apple won't set that price unless they believe a large group of customers are willing to pay it," analyst Mark Gurman emphasized.

The $2,000 figure could also be the price range for a foldable iPhone. Expected to launch next year, the device will compete with rivals such as Samsung and Google. Foldable phones from these companies currently cost between $1,800 and $2,500 depending on the configuration.

iPhone Air. Photo: Bloomberg .

If we use the iPhone Air as a benchmark, the device could share many components with the foldable iPhone. Therefore, the selling price could be at least double (around $2,000 ), not including higher storage options, cases, and accessories.

In an interview with the WSJ in 2023, CEO Tim Cook expressed his belief that iPhone customers were willing to spend more.

“People are willing to spend as much money as possible to own the best phone in its price range,” Cook said. He emphasized that the iPhone has become “an indispensable part” of life. Many people use the device for payments, controlling smart homes, tracking health, and storing banking data.

Looking further ahead, Apple is reportedly developing a 20th-anniversary iPhone version, featuring many groundbreaking upgrades similar to the iPhone X.

"If the iPhone X created the $1,000 smartphone segment, the 20th-anniversary iPhone model could start a trend of even more expensive phones," the Bloomberg writer emphasized.

A closer look at the Space Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max, priced at a top 64 million VND. The new orange shade of the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max is striking and much brighter than the safer options like gold, blue, and gray from previous years.

Source: https://znews.vn/iphone-17-bao-hieu-xu-the-khong-ai-muon-post1584549.html