Apple raised prices for its iPhone 17 series by approximately 10% in Japan, effective July 18, 2026, marking a major price adjustment in the market [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The starting price for the iPhone 17 256GB model rose from 129,800 yen to 142,800 yen, a clear 10% increase [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Meanwhile, the highest-end iPhone 17 Pro Max 2TB version saw its price jump by 25,000 yen to 354,800 yen [1, 5, 7].
Apple also applied price increases to related products, including the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3 models, and AirPods, within Japan [1, 3, 5, 8, 7]. Price hikes for Apple Watches ranged from 4,000 to 13,000 yen, while AirPods prices rose between 2,000 and 3,000 yen [8, 7].
The company attributed these increases mainly to the yen's depreciation and surging memory and storage chip costs fueled by AI-driven demand [3, 4, 6, 8, 7]. Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously warned in June 2026 that rising memory prices made product price increases inevitable [4, 6]. An unnamed Apple spokesperson in Japan declined to comment on the new pricing [3].
Earlier in June, Apple raised prices globally for Macs, iPads, and Vision Pro products due to memory chip shortages but deliberately excluded iPhones at that time [3]. The current price hikes mark the first such increases for the iPhone line in Japan this year.
Apple did not implement similar iPhone price increases in the United States or other major markets during this period [4, 6, 7]. The move appears specific to Japan's currency and supply cost pressures.
Apple announced the upcoming price hikes on July 17 and implemented them starting July 18 across Japanese retail and online channels [2, 4, 1, 5]. Retailers and consumers in Japan are currently adjusting to the higher price points ahead of the upcoming fiscal quarter.
The next significant price review or product update could be expected later this year, as Apple monitors currency fluctuations and component cost trends.
