Why iPhone prices went up, not down
Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and its first foldable on September 9. Normally that pushes older models cheaper. This year Apple raised prices instead — on new phones and old ones it’s still selling.
+$100
Price increase on the iPhone 16 and 17e
+38%
Rise in 256GB component costs, year over year
2027
When the standard iPhone 18 finally arrives
What actually happened
Apple confirmed the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, on September 9, 2026. The new Pro models arrived 10–20% more expensive than last year’s equivalents — that part was expected, and traced back to memory chip costs.
The surprise was what happened to the phones Apple already sells. Instead of getting cheaper to make room for the new lineup, they got more expensive. The iPhone 16 moved from $699 to $799. The entry-level iPhone 17e moved from $599 to $699. That’s not how this usually goes.
Price before vs. after Sept 9, 2026
Why prices rose instead of fell
The root cause is a global shortage of memory chips — the DRAM and NAND that go into every phone. AI data centers are buying up the same memory supply, and chipmakers have been shifting production toward server chips instead.
- Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have all redirected capacity toward AI server memory.
- Analyst firm TrendForce estimated component costs for the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro rose roughly 38% year over year.
- Apple’s own leadership has described the memory shortage as a once-in-a-century event — language that suggests this is a sustained shift, not a one-quarter blip.
Apple passed part of that cost increase on to buyers, and not just on the new phones. Older models still on shelves absorbed it too.
AI Data
Centers
Higher Memory
Demand
DRAM / NAND
Supply Pressure
Higher
Component Costs
Higher
iPhone Prices
Which iPhones were affected
Model | Before Sept 9 | After Sept 9 |
|---|---|---|
iPhone 16 | $699 | |
Pro-tier figures are early post-launch estimates from analyst and press coverage — worth checking against Apple’s pricing page directly.
2026 versus a normal launch year
Pro-tier figures are early post-launch estimates from analyst and press coverage — worth checking against Apple’s pricing page directly.
2023 – 2025
New iPhone launches
Older models generally
became cheaper
2026
iPhone 18 launch
Some older models
became more expensive
General Pricing Trend
Impact on the Used iPhone Market
- With new and even older current-model iPhones costing more, buyers are shifting attention to the secondary market — used iPhone 13, 14, 15, and 16 units.
- The standard iPhone 18 (non-Pro) isn’t arriving until spring 2027, leaving a gap that used iPhone 15/16 stock is filling for budget-conscious buyers this fall.
- Apple has also quietly raised trade-in values, a sign the industry expects resale demand to climb.
Best Used iPhones to Buy in 2026
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What this means for wholesalers
The value gap between new and certified pre-owned iPhones is wider than it’s been in years — a genuine selling point for used stock. With the standard iPhone 18 delayed to 2027, demand for used iPhone 15 and 16 units will likely stay elevated through this quarter. It’s a reasonable window to lock in wholesale pricing before the secondary market catches up. See our wholesale iPhone services for bulk order terms.
Sourcing used iPhones at scale
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Questions people are asking
Did iPhone prices really go up in 2026?
Yes. Apple raised prices on the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup and on older models it kept selling, including the iPhone 16 and 17e, following the September 9, 2026 launch.
Why did older iPhone prices rise instead of drop?
A global memory chip shortage, driven largely by AI data center demand, pushed component costs up across the industry — including for models already on the market.
Is this a good time to buy used iPhones in bulk?
The gap between new and used iPhone prices has widened, which makes certified used stock more attractive for resale than in a typical year — though as with any market shift, it's worth watching how prices settle over the next few weeks.
Sources: Apple, TrendForce component cost estimates, and industry press coverage of the September 9, 2026 launch. Pro-tier and foldable pricing reflects early post-launch reporting and may be refined.