Apple raised the domestic retail prices for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max in Japan on Friday [1].
These adjustments reflect the ongoing depreciation of the yen against the U.S. dollar, forcing the company to increase costs for consumers in the Japanese market [1, 2].
According to reports, the price of the standard iPhone 17 increased by ¥13,000 [1]. The high-end iPhone 17 Pro Max saw a larger increase of ¥20,000 [1]. This price hike pushes the cost of the Pro Max model above ¥210,000 [1].
The price changes were announced on the 17th of the month [1]. The move comes as Apple manages the volatility of foreign exchange rates to maintain profit margins across its global hardware lineup.
However, reports on the price movement are not unanimous. While TBS NEWS DIG reported these specific increases, other outlets such as livedoor said that Apple kept iPhone prices unchanged in Japan [1, 2].
“iPhone 17 Pro Max now exceeds ¥210,000”
The discrepancy between reporting outlets suggests a potential delay in official pricing updates or a tiered rollout of new costs. If the price hikes are confirmed, it indicates that Apple is no longer absorbing the cost of the weak yen, passing the financial burden directly to Japanese consumers to protect its U.S. dollar earnings.
