Apple has quietly raised prices across its iPhone lineup by $100, including on older models that had previously been discounted - a sharp reversal of the company's usual post-launch pricing strategy. Following Wednesday's event, where Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, the company increased prices on every previous-generation iPhone still on sale.

The iPhone 16, which had been discounted to $699, is back to its 2024 launch price of $799. The budget iPhone 17e jumped from $599 to $699, the standard iPhone 17 now starts at $899, and the iPhone Air climbed to $1,099. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have been discontinued entirely, while the newly launched iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199.

These price increases can be attributed to skyrocketing global prices of memory and components due to the AI-driven shortage of DRAM and flash. Former CEO Tim Cook said in June that price increases were unavoidable and likened the situation to a major supply crisis, affecting other products like Macs and iPads as well.

This marks a major departure from the ritual where each iPhone launch made previous versions cheaper for budget-minded consumers. According to analysts, this trend will give Android manufacturers the confidence to increase prices of their own devices. Orders for the iPhone 18 Pro go live September 12, with shipments beginning September 18.