iPhone 17 Pro to Offer 256GB Base Storage but With A Price Hike

Apple’s next iPhone lineup could be a major departure from previous models, but the most visible changes will be on the Pro variants. The iPhone 17 Pro series is expected to feature not only a new design but also several hardware changes. One of them will be upgraded base storage capacity from 128GB to 256GB as standard. However, this change, along with several others, will likely cause the price to go up, at least in the US.

Chinese tipster who goes by Digital Chat Station said on Weibo that the iPhone 17 Pro will cost $50 more than the price of the iPhone 16 Pro, pushing the base model’s price to $1,049. While hardware upgrades will likely be one of the reasons, the tipster cites rising component costs also a crucial factor behind the price hike. Corroborating these factors, the Wall Street Journal said Apple could face pressure from supply chains to dole out more incentives, ultimately leading to higher prices.

More importantly, the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on China and India could also play a part in the price inflation. Although Apple has secured immunity from Washington on tariff levies, partly through negotiations and partly through bullish investments of $600 billion in the US, experts believe the relief is temporary. That means it is possible that the tariffs will not impact the cost of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models immediately, but Apple still wants to be prepared. The $50 hike could give Apple room to understand the new dynamics and offset any discrepancies it could potentially face should the safety net collapse.

After the $50 price hike, the iPhone 17 Pro could start at $1,049, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max could be priced starting at $1,249. While these are US prices, the revision might also impact the Indian prices. If that happens, the iPhone 17 Pro series could start at more than ₹1.20 lakh.

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