Apple raises Japan iPhone 17 prices by 10% on weak yen
Apple has increased iPhone 17 prices in Japan by roughly 10% due to the yen's collapse, highlighting how currency depreciation and AI-driven chip shortages are creating structural cost pressures for global tech supply chains.
Apple has raised the price of the iPhone 17 in Japan by roughly 10%. The entry-level 256GB model now costs ¥142,800, up from ¥129,800 previously. The 256GB iPhone 17 Pro saw a slightly smaller increase of 8.3%, bringing its price to ¥194,800.
Prices for Apple Watch and AirPods models in the country also rose by up to 10%. A spokesperson for Apple in Japan declined to comment on the pricing adjustments. The increases come as the yen hovers near its lowest level in four decades at around ¥162 to the dollar.
Retailers across Japan have been raising prices on imported goods as the currency stays depressed. For Apple, this represents a localised, currency-driven adjustment rather than a broader shift in global pricing strategy. There is currently no indication that the company plans to raise iPhone prices in other markets.
However, the Japanese price hike follows a separate global price increase implemented just three weeks ago. That earlier round saw Apple raise the cost of Macs, iPads, and the Vision Pro worldwide. Unlike the Japan adjustment, those global increases were driven by a prolonged shortage of memory chips.
A structural cost problem
Japanese consumers are now being hit from two distinct directions. Currency depreciation is making imports more expensive, while the AI-driven memory crisis is pushing component costs higher for every device manufacturer. The recent global price hikes on Macs and iPads did not affect iPhones, leaving Japan to shoulder the currency burden separately.
While Apple now assembles 25% of its iPhones in India, the supply chain for memory and displays still runs through markets priced in dollars. This dynamic makes yen weakness a structural cost problem rather than a temporary fluctuation. For European investors and tech companies, it highlights a persistent vulnerability in global hardware supply chains.
Diversifying final assembly locations does not insulate manufacturers from foreign exchange risks if core components remain tied to the dollar. As long as the global memory shortage persists and currencies fluctuate, hardware margins face persistent pressure. The situation in Japan serves as a clear signal that input costs will remain volatile for the broader tech sector.
