As the newest iPhones hit the shelves today, the Apple faithful can count their blessings that they aren't paying more for the new phones. iPhones have never been cheap, but it was pretty clear when the prices for the new iPhone 17 lineup were revealed at Apple's fall iPhone event earlier this month that they could have gotten worse, considering the year of tariffs and other economic turmoil.
CNET senior editor James Bricknell wasn't surprised by the iPhone prices.
"Given the tariffs and all the other stuff that's happened in the past year, the prices are good," he said. "They match what you would expect in terms of inflation rather than the leap I was expecting."
The iPhone Pro color lineup looks kind of Halloween-themed.
Apple unveiled three models during the event: the iPhone 17, the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro. That's right -- the skinny new iPhone Air doesn't have "17" in its name. The full lineup also includes the low-end iPhone 16E, released earlier this year.
iPhone 16E, from $599
CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland reviewed the iPhone 16E, which is Apple's most affordable iPhone, and noted that some compromises had to be made to get the price down. There's no Dynamic Island cutout for one thing, and it only comes in black and white.
iPhone 17, from $799
The standard iPhone 17 has some small upgrades over past models, namely a new chip, a brighter and sharper screen, better cameras and an improved selfie camera. With the introduction of the super-thin iPhone Air, this phone is now Apple's entry-level flagship.
iPhone Air, from $999
The new iPhone Air made headlines for its slim shape, weighing in at just 165 grams. Apple called the Air the "most power-efficient iPhone we have ever made" and says it has all-day battery life. It clocks in at just under $1,000 as its starting price.
iPhone 17 Pro, from $1,099
The priciest iPhones are the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, which pack a range of camera upgrades plus a new orange color. While the iPhone 16 Pro was slightly cheaper at a $999 starting price last year, CNET Editor-at-Large Andrew Lanxon notes, "It's now got double the storage and actually costs the same as the equivalent 256GB iPhone 16 Pro."
If you're rolling in cash, the iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2TB of storage will happily take more of your money. It's priced at $1,999.
How to order the new iPhone
Sold on the new iPhone lineup? Preorders begin on Friday, and launch day is Sept. 19.