Apple may raise iPhone 17 prices as early as June after Tim Cook told WSJ memory and storage cost pressures are “unavoidable.” Chip shortages, driven by AI data‑center demand, have left the company unable to absorb higher component prices. NAND and DRAM costs have surged this quarter, squeezing margins.

Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman reads Cook’s comments as a signal that Apple will tie a price bump to its annual Back to School promotion, which typically launches days after WWDC. If Apple aligns the two, the hike could serve as a buffer before the iPhone 18 Pro debut later in the year, according to the leaker Ice Universe, while keeping student discounts intact.

Current iPhone 17 pricing starts at $599 for the 17e and tops out at $1,199 for the 17 Pro Max. Wall Street Journal analysis projects the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro could start near $1,399, suggesting a steep upward trajectory. With iPads and Macs also facing cost pressure, consumers should expect higher bills across Apple’s flagship lineup this summer and may affect resale markets.