iPhone 17 Gets Costlier In Japan Ahead Of iPhone 18 Launch

Apple has begun increasing iPhone 17 prices in Japan, signalling the impact of wider hardware price adjustments announced across its product range.

While Japanese consumers are paying more, shoppers in several European countries and Australia are benefiting from discounts as retailers clear stock ahead of the expected launch of the iPhone 18.

The price changes follow Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent warning that higher iPhone prices were becoming ‘unavoidable’.

Apple has since confirmed price increases across several hardware products, including Macs, iPads, HomePods, Apple TV and Vision Pro headsets, although it has not officially revised iPhone prices globally.

Yodobashi Camera has raised the price of the unlocked 256GB iPhone 17 to ¥142,780 from ¥129,800, while SoftBank increased its price to ¥164,160 from ¥159,840.

Apple has yet to revise prices on its official Japan store.

Analysts attribute the increases to the weaker yen, while Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had earlier signalled wider Apple price hikes.

Apple has already increased prices for products including the MacBook Air, HomePod mini and Vision Pro, fuelling expectations of wider iPhone price hikes.

Retailers in Spain, Australia and Germany have discounted the iPhone 17 ahead of the expected iPhone 18 launch.

These discounts reflect retailer-led promotions rather than official Apple price reductions.

Retailers are clearing existing iPhone 17 inventory before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 later this year.

Industry observers suggest that consumers in Europe and Australia may still find attractive deals on the current model, while buyers in Japan are already experiencing higher prices.

In the United States, however, significant discounts remain, unlikely because Apple generally sells unlocked iPhones directly and rarely offers official price reductions before a new model launches.

Also Read: Summer Davos 2026: Experts Say India Can Lead The Global AI Revolution