Apple(US:AAPL) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-09-04 01:24Core Insights - Apple's CEO Tim Cook has been praised for effectively managing the company's relationship with the White House, particularly through a commitment to invest an additional $100 billion in the U.S. over the next five years, which has helped mitigate tariff threats to Apple's business [2][7] - Despite these efforts, analysts predict that Apple may increase device prices due to the impact of tariffs, with some expecting the average price of the upcoming iPhone 17 series to rise by $50 [3][11] Investment and Tariff Management - Tim Cook's investment commitment has raised Apple's total planned investment in the U.S. to $600 billion over five years, and the company has received exemptions from upcoming semiconductor tariffs [2][7] - Apple has incurred $800 million in tariff costs in the last quarter, with projections indicating that this could rise to $1.1 billion in the current quarter [8][11] Product Pricing Strategy - Analysts expect Apple to release four new iPhone models, likely named the "iPhone 17 series," with the base model priced at $829, and the Pro Max model at $1,199 [3][10] - There is speculation that Apple may discontinue the Plus version of the iPhone and introduce a lighter model, which could be priced around $899, potentially leading to a price increase compared to previous models [4][5] Market Trends and Consumer Behavior - The overall trend in the smartphone market shows rising average prices, influenced by increasing component costs, which may lead Apple to raise prices while emphasizing new features [11][12] - Analysts suggest that Apple might indirectly raise prices by eliminating entry-level models, thus pushing consumers towards higher-priced options [12][13]