"2TB iPhone" priced at $1,999, Apple begins pushing towards the $2,000 price point.

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From the top-tier model priced at $1,999, to the upcoming high-priced foldable device, and the anticipated "iPhone 20," Apple is gradually guiding consumers—through a series of deliberate steps—toward accepting an ultra-premium iPhone era anchored at the $2,000 price point.

At the latest iPhone 17 series launch event, Apple introduced its most expensive model ever: the iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2TB of storage, priced at a staggering $1,999. This marks the first time an iPhone has officially reached the nearly $2,000 price threshold—a key psychological benchmark.

Although this top configuration sets a new record for price, Apple's adjustment to the pricing of mainstream models has been relatively restrained. Amid the backdrop of Trump-era tariffs, the scale of the increase was lower than the "significant hikes" some analysts had anticipated.

Nonetheless, Bloomberg technology reporter Mark Gurman—a longtime observer of Apple product trends—believes the $1,999 price is a "market test balloon" from Apple and also indicates that the company believes there is a sizable segment of customers willing to pay for it. With the upcoming foldable iPhone and "iPhone 20" and other future products, Apple is preparing to establish a new, higher price standard.

iPhone's pricing strategy has been relatively conservative for eight years

Apple’s latest price adjustments for mainstream models appear relatively restrained. The starting price of the new iPhone 17 Pro is $1,099—just $100 more than the iPhone X at launch. To "ease" this price hike, Apple has doubled the base storage of the Pro series to 256GB. Additionally, the new iPhone Air, which replaces the Plus model, sees its starting price only slightly raised to $999.

At a time when consumers are bracing for price shocks brought by tariffs, Apple’s adjustments have been relatively mild.

Looking back, since the iPhone X ushered in the "$1,000 phone" era in 2017 with a starting price of $999, the iPhone's core pricing has hardly changed over the past eight years.

Despite inflation and ongoing technological upgrades, the starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro—at $1,099—is only $100 higher than that of the iPhone X. Entry-level iPhone models are also just $100 higher compared to their 2017 equivalents.

"Restraint" may soon be history: The $2,000 iPhone era is on the horizon

However, Mark Gurman points out that this pricing "restraint" may soon become a thing of the past. The $1,999 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max is widely interpreted as Apple releasing a "market test balloon."

Gurman analyzes that Apple would not casually set a price that no one will pay; this move signals the company's belief that a significant portion of its user base is willing to pay unprecedentedly high prices for top configurations.

Apple's future pricing strategy blueprint is also becoming increasingly clear. According to Gurman, Apple plans to launch its first foldable iPhone next year. Based on current pricing of competing Samsung and Google devices ($1,799 to $2,419), and comparing with the single-screen iPhone Air (sharing many components with the foldable model and retailing for $999), the foldable iPhone’s price is very likely to be over twice that, easily exceeding the $2,000 mark.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has long instilled confidence in the market. In a 2023 earnings call, he said that because the iPhone has become an "indispensable" part of people’s lives—from mobile payments and smart home control to health management—consumers are "willing to really stretch their budgets to get the best product they can afford."

Looking further ahead, Apple is already developing a 20th anniversary "iPhone 20."

Industry insiders expect it to usher in a disruptive transformation, much like the iPhone X did in its time. If the iPhone X set the tone for the $1,000 smartphone era, then the "iPhone 20" will likely establish a brand-new, much higher price norm in the smartphone market.

Risk Warning and DisclaimerThe market involves risks, and investments should be made cautiously. This article does not constitute individual investment advice and does not consider the unique investment goals, financial circumstances, or needs of specific users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views or conclusions in this article are suitable for their situation. Investing accordingly is at your own risk. ```