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According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is considering price increases for its 2018 fall iPhone range, but it wants to avoid tying any increases to US tariffs on imports from China, where the majority of its devices are made.
The technology giant's shares rose 7% in premarket trade, matching market advances after Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily reduce reciprocal tariffs on Monday. However, Chinese imports will still be subject to a 30% charge in the United States.
Apple is one of the most visible companies caught up in US-China trade tensions, which have risen in recent months following a series of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
The business did not immediately react to Reuters' request for comment on the WSJ article, which cited sources familiar with the situation.
Raising pricing may help Apple offset increased expenses resulting from tariffs that have impeded global supply chains and driven the company to relocate its manufacture to India.
Apple announced earlier this month that tariffs were likely to increase costs by nearly $900 million (about Rs. 7,638 crore) during the April-June quarter, and that the bulk of iPhones sold in the United States during that time would be sourced from India.
Analysts have speculated for months about an Apple price rise, but have warned that such a move may lose the company market share, especially as rivals such as Samsung strive to woo customers with AI capabilities that Apple has been sluggish to implement.
The cheapest iPhone 16 model was sold in the US for $799, but taxes might raise the price to $1,142 (approximately Rs. 96,918), according to Rosenblatt Securities forecasts last month, which indicate the cost could climb by 43 percent.
According to the WSJ, Apple intends to explain the price increases by combining them with new functionality and design modifications, such as an ultrathin design.
Amazon.com was targeted by the White House last month after its low-cost Haul business considered displaying import taxes owing to US tariffs, prompting the Trump administration to accuse the corporation of engaged in aggressive political behavior.
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