GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu told clients the upcoming iPhone 17 line-up will cost more than the iPhone 16, though he skipped giving a firm figure. Earlier estimates had pegged the jump at around $50, fuelled in part by a looming 20 per cent tariff on China-assembled iPhones.

Not every model may see the increase, but Pu reckons Job’s Mob could soothe the sting by upping base storage. The iPhone 17 Pro is tipped to match the Pro Max with a 256GB starting point. When the iPhone 15 Pro Max killed off its 128GB option, the starting price jumped from $1,099 to $1,199, but at least punters got double the storage for their trouble.

If Apple rolls that 256GB base across the whole iPhone 17 family, it might just get away with the higher sticker price for another year.

Without detailed model breakdowns from Pu, the best guess is a starting price in the ballpark of $849. With rivals breathing down its neck, and the iPhone 17 not offering any of the AI abilities of its rivals, Apple will need every spin in the book to convince fanboys they’re still getting a fair deal.