Almost 20 years have passed since Apple raised the curtain on the first iPhone, changing the fate of the mobile phone market forever. In the “Surprise and shine” event broadcast from Cupertino today, Wednesday 9 September at 7.00 pm (Italian time), Apple unveiled the new iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max (some key features) and also its first foldable iPhone, called iPhone Duo, compatible with Apple Pencil. The new Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 were also presented during the event.
The three new iPhones have starting prices of, respectively, 1,199 dollars (1,489 euros), 1,299 dollars (1,639 euros) and 1,999 dollars (2,369 euros). It may actually seem like a lot of money when compared to the $499 it took to buy the first iPhone in 2007 (and in part it is). But direct comparisons between prices from different years can be misleading, because it does not take into account inflation, i.e. the general increase in prices over time which reduces the purchasing power of money. One way to measure it is to use the consumer price index, an indicator that follows how the prices of a set of goods and services purchased by families change over time.
There is also another reasoning to be done. If in 2007 Apple presented just one iPhone model, today the Cupertino giant (as well as many other smartphone manufacturers) does not limit itself to placing just one model on the market: it generally includes a “base” model in its price list, which it then adds to Pro models and, as in the case of this year, even an Ultra model. All of this makes comparing iPhone prices over time a little more complex. In any case, let’s see how the price of the iPhone has changed from 2007 to today.
The features of Apple’s new iPhone Duo
Before reviewing the evolution of iPhone prices over the years, from 2007 to today, surely many of you will be curious to discover the main features of the iPhone Duo and also of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Let’s start with the piece de resistance, iPhone Duo. The device has a foldable screen that is, for obvious reasons, the largest ever seen on an iPhone. The internal screen is a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR made of 10 ultra-thin layers to which a special nanotexture has been applied which mitigates reflections. The FaceTime camera is embedded behind the display and this means that it remains invisible until it is called up. The external Super Retina XDR display is 5.4 inches. This allows the device to have continuity in the lines, which makes the foldable aesthetically beautiful.
On the photographic front there is a 48 MP Fusion ultra-wide angle sensor, a 48 MP Fusion main camera, a 12 MP front camera and the aforementioned FaceTime camera behind the display. The beating heart of this model is an A20 Pro chip with two 16-core Neural Engines, which allows it to tackle the most demanding AI workloads. The declared autonomy is 31 hours (on the external display) and up to 44 hours on the external display.
Going on the “classic”, i.e. iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The most interesting innovation of these new smartphones is certainly the 48MP Fusion main camera with variable aperture. This means that, by now being able to open the diaphragm, it will be possible to let a greater quantity of light reach the sensor, which will allow you to obtain better photos and videos even at night, as well as a better depth of field, with a more natural bokeh effect. Apple has also done an excellent job on the autonomy side, to the point that on the largest model, iPhone 18 Pro Max (equipped with a larger battery), autonomy reaches peaks of 43 hours of video playback. Also on these models there is the A20 Pro chip, capable of guaranteeing excellent performance, also to fully support the heaviest workloads due to AI. On the aesthetic front, the device essentially retains the same design as the previous generation, but introduces new colors – Burgundy, Glacier, Silver and Black – and features a Dynamic Island (the area of the screen that houses the front sensor and Face ID and which dynamically adapts to show up to three different pieces of information), which is smaller than the previous generation.
From $499 for the first iPhone to $1,199 for the iPhone 18 Pro and $1,999 for the iPhone Duo
2007
Applying the criterion we introduced in the introduction, the 499 dollars of the first iPhone in 2007 correspond to more than 780 dollars today. The result therefore changes a lot compared to the simple comparison between 499 and 799 dollars: the iPhone 17 (the latest “basic” model available, given that this year Apple has postponed the “basic” iPhone 18 to the first part of 2027) costs more, but the real distance between the two devices is much smaller than it might seem at first glance.
To correctly read the evolution of prices, it is also necessary to consider the way in which iPhones were sold in the USA in past years, up to 2017. For models from the second generation up to the iPhone 6, the prices indicated assumed the signing of a two-year contract with an operator. Furthermore, the comparison concerns the US prices of the basic models and does not take into account the differences present in the various international markets.
2008-2012
In 2008, the iPhone 3G started at $199, equivalent to about $300 considering inflation. In 2009, the iPhone 3GS still had a starting price of $199, equivalent to approximately $301 today. The 2010 iPhone 4 cost $199, which becomes about $296 when adjusted for inflation. The following year, the iPhone 4S still started at $199, equivalent to about $287. In 2012, however, the iPhone 5 maintained the same nominal price of $199, which corresponds to approximately $282.
2013-2015
Reviewing the models presented in 2013, namely iPhone 5S and 5C, we see that the first started at 199 dollars, while the second at 99. Adjusted for inflation, the prices of these amount to approximately 277 and 138 dollars respectively. In 2014, the iPhone 6 started at $199, while the 6 Plus started at $299: adjusted for inflation, around $273 and $410. The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, in 2015, also had starting prices of $199 and $299, equivalent to approximately $273 and $410 respectively.
2016-2017
The most noticeable change came in 2016 with the iPhone 7. The base model jumped to $649, while the 7 Plus hit $769. Also adjusting these prices for inflation, they equate to approximately $878 and $1,041.
This brings us to 2017. Since in that year Apple removed the obligation to link to a US telephone operator to purchase an iPhone, the price comparison becomes particularly interesting.
In 2017, the iPhone 8 started at $699 and the 8 Plus at $799, equivalent to approximately $929 and $1,059 respectively. In the same year the iPhone
2018-2020
In 2018, the iPhone XR cost $749, which is about $969 adjusted for inflation. The XS and XS Max models started at $999 and $1,099, which equates to approximately $1,292 and $1,422. In 2019 the iPhone 11 started at 699 dollars, while 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max cost 999 and 1,099 dollars: considering inflation, they would be equivalent to approximately 888, 1,269 and 1,396 dollars.
With the 2020 iPhone 12 series, the base model reached $799, while the 12 Mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max started at $699, $999, and $1,099, respectively. Adjusted for inflation, they are approximately $1,003, $877, $1,254, and $1,379.
2021-2022
In 2021, nominal prices remained identical with the iPhone 13: $799 for the base model, $699 for the Mini, $999 for the Pro and $1,099 for the Pro Max. Adjusting them for inflation, they become approximately $958, $838, $1,197 and $1,317. In 2022, the iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max started at $799, $899, $999 and $1,099, equivalent to approximately $886, $997, $1,101 and $1,208 respectively.
2023-2026
In 2023 iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max started at $799, 899, 999 and 1,199. Taking inflation into account, they were approximately $852, $958, $1,065, and $1,278. In 2024 the iPhone 16 series maintained the same nominal prices: 799, 899, 999 and 1,199 dollars, corresponding to approximately 827, 931, 1,034 and 1,242 dollars.
Thus we arrive at the most recent iPhone 17 series: the basic model starts at 799 dollars, the iPhone Air at 999 (in theory it is not part of the series in the strict sense but we include it to simplify the reasoning), the 17 Pro at 1,099 and the 17 Pro Max at 1,199 dollars. And, finally, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Duo cost, respectively, 1,199 dollars (1,489 euros), 1,299 dollars (1,639 euros) and 1,999 dollars (2,369 euros). For obvious reasons, there is no need to revalue the prices of these latest models taking inflation into account.
From this comparison, a rather clear fact emerges. On the one hand it is true that the prices of iPhones have increased over time, especially the latest models presented today, September 9th, but it is also true that if inflation is taken into account this increase is actually in line with the general increase in prices of other consumer goods.
What about other smartphones?
If we wanted to check the prices of smartphones in general, also taking into account the Android counterpart, we would probably need another dedicated study – let us know if you’re interested! In short we can say, however, that inflation and the recent chip crisis have also increased the prices of the latter.
