Apple Could Cut iPhone 17 to $699 After iPhone 18 Launch, Risking 18e Sales

9 articles · Updated · Wccftech · May 24

$699 is the suggested post-launch price for the base iPhone 17 when Apple unveils the iPhone 18 in early 2027, keeping the older model in the lineup rather than retiring it.
Q1 2026 sales strength underpins that case: Counterpoint said the iPhone 17 was the world's best-selling smartphone, and the model has logged nearly 30 million activations in China.
That discount would leave only a $100 gap versus a projected $599 iPhone 18e, raising the risk that Apple's cheapest model gets cannibalized by a better-specced iPhone 17.
A similar squeeze could hit the base iPhone 18 if it launches at $799, especially if its main upgrade is the A20 chip; pushing the new model to $899 would widen separation.
Pricing flexibility may be limited by memory costs, with Tim Cook warning Apple's DRAM stockpiling is running out as the company prepares its 2027 lineup.

Has Apple's iPhone 17 success created an impossible pricing trap for the upcoming iPhone 18?

With memory costs surging, can Apple's 'best value' strategy survive, or will buyers face steep price hikes?