Apple mulls raising iPhone prices for fall lineup - Report

NEW YORK: Apple is weighing price increases for its fall iPhone lineup, a step it is seeking to couple with new features and design changes, Xinhua reported.

AI Brief

Apple aims to avoid linking iPhone price hikes to US tariffs on China, where most devices are made.
A new, thinner iPhone model is expected this fall, replacing the iPhone 16 Plus.
To manage tariff risks, Apple shifted some production to India; most US iPhones this quarter will come from there.

However, the company is determined to avoid any scenario in which it appears to attribute price increases to United States (US) tariffs on goods from China, where most Apple devices are assembled.

On Monday, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that new iPhones set to be released in the fall include some design and format changes, including an ultrathin design.

The investment bank Jefferies estimates that of the approximately 65 million iPhones Apple sold in the US last year, around 36 to 39 million were Pro or Pro Max models.

This fall's lineup is expected to include a thinner model that would stand in the place of the current iPhone 16 Plus, which retails for US$899 in the US.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook "has been facing pressure over the US-China trade conflict, which threatens Apple's supply chain," noted the report.

In response, he built up inventory in March before tariffs were announced and shifted manufacturing for the US market to India.

He said earlier this month that a majority of iPhones shipped to the US in the April-to-June quarter would come from India.

-- BERNAMA