GoKawiilApple is gearing up for a more focused and potentially much more expensive iPhone launch this fall.
For starters, the cheaper base iPhone 18 is being saved for spring. That leaves the more expensive Pro models and Apple’s first foldable iPhone Ultra to carry September, with higher-than-usual starting prices expected.
Here’s how Apple is already preparing to make the sticker shock more palatable for new customers and upgraders.
Apple Upgrade lowers the monthly price
First, Apple launched its new Klarna-backed Apple Upgrade program in July. Customers can lease an iPhone for either 12 or 24 months. The resulting monthly payment is lower than traditional financing over the same period because it covers only part of the device’s full price.
At the end of the lease, customers can upgrade, return the iPhone, or pay the remaining balance to own it. AppleCare costs extra, but AppleCare One makes bundling warranties more affordable.
Apple Upgrade gives the company a more approachable monthly number to advertise alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. That matters when one of those phones could reportedly cost as much as $2,500, putting it in MacBook Pro territory.
Apple raises iPhone trade-in values
Next, just today Apple has increased trade-in values across most of its lineup.
An iPhone 16 Pro Max now fetches up to $720, compared with $695 before. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro made a larger jump from $560 to $630.
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