Price revealed? iPhone 17 may be thinner, smarter — and pricier
What leakers say is coming, and how hard tariffs could bite
Start saving those pennies — or fils, halalas or quids — because Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 might just be its sleekest, smartest, and most expensive iPhone lineup yet.
With iOS 26 now out in the wild, all eyes are turning to September — the launch window for Apple’s next big thing.
iPhone 17 Air could be Apple’s thinnest phone yet at 5.5mm.
Prices are going up, especially on Pro models.
$899 for the iPhone 17 Air, if Apple keeps its word.
25% Trump tariff threat could hit iPhones made outside the US.
Launch date: September 9, with release on September 19.
Get ready for a thinner wallet — and possibly, a thinner phone.
And if the leaks are to be believed, the iPhone 17 could bring the biggest design and pricing shake-up in years.
Price hikes ahead?
First, the elephant in the room: price.
In May, The Wall Street Journal dropped a bombshell — Apple is reportedly planning to raise iPhone prices later this year.
The reason? Not just Trump’s tariff threats (more on that in a bit), but shiny new features and design changes that Apple can proudly parade on stage.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the all-new iPhone 17 Air — set to replace the current Plus model — will hold steady with a floor price of $899 in the US (and yes, £899 in the UK).
That’s the same price as the iPhone 16 Plus, but with a super-slim design, likely a smaller battery, and possibly fewer high-end camera features.
Still, that would make it the most "affordable" of the new models, which is Apple-speak for entry-level-but-still-very-expensive gear.
Meanwhile, top-tier models (especially the Pros and Ultra) are expected to push north of their current prices, especially outside the US.
Leakers like Majin Bu and LeaksApplePro hint at possible price bumps of $100 or more for some models, thanks to exotic materials, AI features, and — you guessed it — tariffs.
Tariffs, Trump, and tension
US President Donald Trump has re-entered the tech chat.
In May, he threatened to slap a 25% tariff on all iPhones made outside the US. He also said as much about Samsung.
When tariffs bite hard
While Apple has been slowly shifting some manufacturing to India to dodge previous trade tensions, a sweeping tariff like that could still bite — hard.
If enforced, it could mean higher prices globally, even if Apple tries to soften the blow by blaming the hike on "innovation."
Because nothing shows progress like paying more for a phone every year, right?
What’s actually new?
Thinner than ever: Notorious leaker IceUniverse claims the iPhone 17 Air will be just 5.5mm thick — potentially the thinnest iPhone ever made. It might even out-slim the iconic iPod nano.
Unified button controls: Leaker Majin Bu has teased a new capacitive single-button design that could replace the separate volume and action buttons — sort of like the Pro’s camera button, but sleeker.
Design glow-up: Expect a matte finish, a punchier front camera, and new colour schemes including a rumoured purple variant.
AI overload: At WWDC, Apple teased Apple Intelligence — a suite of AI features including live translation, smarter call screening, and on-screen awareness. We’re still not sure, though, about Siri’s big reboot.
When’s the big reveal?
As per Apple tradition, the iPhone 17 is expected to launch in the second week of September, with leaker consensus pointing to Tuesday, September 9 as the most likely date. Pre-orders? Probably Friday the 12th.
In-store release? Most likely Friday the 19th.
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