The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max entered the market this week, launching in the United States and 64 additional countries as part of Apple’s first‑wave rollout. The new Pro lineup arrives with a $100 price increase over the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models that debuted last year.
Pricing shift and availability
Apple continued its usual practice of discontinuing the previous generation’s Pro models when the new devices are announced, leaving only the non‑Pro iPhone lines on its website for longer than a year. However, third‑party retailers continue to sell older Pro units, creating a parallel market for the discontinued phones.
Historically, Apple’s September announcements have paired new Pro and “vanilla” iPhone models, with the older vanilla phones receiving a $100 price reduction while the Pro line is retired. This year deviates from that pattern: no new non‑Pro iPhone or Air models were introduced, and the remaining older models instead saw a $100 price hike. For reference, the iPhone 17 Pro started at $1,100 for the 256 GB configuration last year; a $100 increase would bring it to $1,200, matching the launch price of the iPhone 18 Pro.
Refurbished iPhone 17 units remain costly
Amazon’s Renewed Premium program defines refurbished devices as having no visible scratches from a 12‑inch distance, better than 90 % battery health, and a basic accessory set (cable and SIM ejector). Under these criteria, a one‑year‑old iPhone 17 Pro, originally priced at $1,100 for 256 GB, can be found for just under $1,000.
The iPhone 18 Pro introduces Apple’s first 2 nm A20 Pro chipset, a smaller punch‑hole for the FaceTime camera, a variable aperture, and faster charging—reaching 50 % battery in 15 minutes instead of the 20 minutes required by the iPhone 17 Pro. The Cosmic Orange colorway, popular due to high demand, typically carries the lowest refurbished price.
Conversely, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which sold for $1,200 new (256 GB), now sells as a refurbished unit for the same $1,200 price point, a figure confirmed at Walmart as well. The iPhone 18 Pro Max claims the title of the fastest‑charging iPhone, also achieving a 50 % charge in 15 minutes.
Apple continues to list the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17e on its website, with base 256 GB models now priced at $900, $1,100, and $700 respectively after the recent price adjustments. In each case, refurbished alternatives are reported to be cheaper than buying new.
Customers opting for the new iPhone 18 Pro models may also consider Apple’s official cases—TechWoven, Silicone, and Clear—all of which support MagSafe accessories.
Samsung’s 2026 foldable discounts
While Apple’s lineup expands, Samsung is promoting discounts on its 2026 foldable devices, which launched in August. The Galaxy Z Fold8, positioned as the primary competitor to Apple’s upcoming iPhone Duo, is thinner (9.7 mm vs. 11.3 mm) and lighter (201 g vs. 254 g) while offering a comparable internal screen size. It features a 5.5‑inch 4:3 cover display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, a 50 MP main sensor, a 50 MP ultra‑wide sensor, and two 10 MP selfie cameras with punch‑hole designs. Unlike the Duo, the Fold8 does not support a stylus.
The larger Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra weighs 215 g—39 g less than the iPhone Duo—and provides an 8‑inch inner display with roughly 17 % more usable surface area. Its cover display measures 6.5 inches with a 21:9 aspect ratio and narrows to 72.8 mm when closed, compared with the Duo’s 84.1 mm width. The Ultra’s camera suite includes a 200 MP main sensor, a dedicated 10 MP 3× telephoto lens, and a 50 MP ultra‑wide sensor.
For users preferring a more compact form factor, the Galaxy Z Flip8 folds down to a 85.7 × 75.4 × 13.1 mm “puck” and weighs 180 g. It sports a 4.1‑inch cover display and a 6.9‑inch 21:9 inner display, with a camera array comprising a 50 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultra‑wide sensor, and a 10 MP selfie sensor.
Apple’s iPhone Duo, announced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro line, is slated for release in late October, leaving the current market to compare Samsung’s discounted foldables with Apple’s upcoming stylus‑compatible device.
Additional Apple hardware released this week includes the AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4.
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Norman Pearlstine is the Executive Editor and Co-Founder at News Raise. With over two decades of experience across financial journalism, corporate governance, and market analysis, Norman leads the editorial direction and ensures strict adherence to journalistic accuracy and ethics.
