Skip to main content

A $2,300 iPhone? The recent tariffs make that a possibility

The back of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Apple’s iPhone might see a serious price hike in response to the recent tariffs, according to a report from Rosenblatt Securities. Analysts suggest the tariffs could result in a price increase of anywhere from 30% to 40%, if Apple chooses to pass the increased costs on to consumers. Neil Shah, an analyst from Counterpoint Research, suggests Apple would need to increase prices by 30% on average, while Rosenblatt analysts say the number is closer to 43%.

To illustrate what that might look like, take a look at the current $799 price point for the iPhone 16. If its price increases by 43%, it would come out to around $1,142. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro Max — currently priced at $1,599 for its base model — could jump to just under $2,300 ($2,286.57, to be exact.)

Recommended Videos

Apple faces a difficult choice. Increasing the price of its phones to cover the cost of tariffs would result in fewer sales, as it would become more of a luxury item that those with limited budgets couldn’t afford. A report from earlier this year showed that more people are buying used iPhones than new, and an increase in price would only further that trend.

Even the current cheapest iPhone, the iPhone 16e, would see a tremendous hike. It starts at $599, but would jump to more than $850 per unit. Amid the controversy surrounding Apple’s failure to fulfill its promises of a smarter, improved Siri, iPhone sales have floundered.

China responded to the tariffs by announcing reciprocal tariffs of 34%. Considering that many iPhones are still manufactured in China, alongside necessary components, this will result in even further price hikes. The end result of the tariffs isn’t clear, but it seems obvious that the price of electronics and other consumer goods will increase by a not-inconsequential amount.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
Apple iPhone owners urged to download new update now as a security must
An iPhone showing the Apple Password app.

The new iPhone software update, iOS 18.4, could be more critical than is being talked about when it comes to security.

While there are lots of new features added in the latest release, out yesterday, what's less talked about is the 62 security updates and fixes that roll out with this version. Some are quite serious.

Read more
Five reasons I’m excited for the new Google Pixel 9a
Person holds Pixel 9a in hand while sitting in a car.

Google has consistently ranked among the best smartphones for its affordable devices over the past six years, particularly with its Pixel A series. The Pixel 3a set the trend for major phone manufacturers to provide a compelling experience at half the price of flagship models, intensifying competition in this segment.

In the last three months, we’ve seen Samsung introduce the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36, which deliver features from the Galaxy S25 series at a significantly lower price point. Then there’s Apple, which entered the market with the iPhone 16e, priced considerably higher than its rivals. Additionally, Nothing offers the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, arguably the best phones available at $379 and $459, respectively.

Read more
The iPhone 16e made me face a hard truth about mobile cameras
OuttaFocus: The iPhone 16e made me face a hard truth about mobile cameras.

I’ve spent a few days taking photos with the Apple iPhone 16e, which has a single camera on the back. One, solitary lens on the back of a current smartphone makes it look rather old school, and somewhat under equipped next to the multi-lens competition. But instead of feeling short changed by the iPhone 16e, it made me face a hard truth. I don’t need a wide-angle camera on my phone as much as I think I do.
One camera is better?

Wide-angle cameras have been a staple addition on smartphones since the days of the LG G5. Most have a 120-degree field of view, allowing us to capture photos of vistas to help convey scale in a way cameras with a narrower field of view cannot. It’s normal and accepted to have a “0.6x” mode in the camera app, and to not see it as an option on the iPhone 16e was quite jarring at first.

Read more