(Image credit: Future)
This year's iPhone launch event is not like its predecessors. Rather than releasing a whole wave of new iPhones, Apple is ignoring the non-Pro models. This means the iPhone 18 likely won't be arriving until sometime in early 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 as the de-factor entry-level iPhone flagship for a few more months.That throws a whole wrench into the established pattern of Apple events. Normally new iPhones mean that the Pro models get discontinued, while the non-Pro models stick around for another year at a reduced price — usually $100 or so less than before. We're not having a traditional iPhone event this year and that leaves a bunch of unanswered questions.What happens when there's no new standard model to take over? Is the iPhone 17 going to get that same price cut after the launch of iPhone 18 Pro? Will the iPhone 16 still be available at the Apple Store after tomorrow?Apple doesn't really offer big discounts
(Image credit: Future)Apple products don't go on sale very often, and when they do it's almost always from a third party retailer that's knocked a few bucks off the normal price during a big sales event — or following the launch of a new model.Apple itself usually avoids this tactic, and offers its products at full price all year round. Even the company's Black Friday deals typically involve free gift cards after you've purchased something else at full price. The annual iPhone price cut is usually the most we can get out of a the company, and that's only because Apple keeps it around as a slightly cheaper alternative to a newer model.Without the iPhone 18 to take center stage, there's absolutely no reason why Apple would discount the iPhone 17. A price cut at this stage might help sell more iPhone 17s before the holidays, but that's likely to come at the cost of iPhone 18 sales when the phone does eventually launch.Not to mention the fact the reason the iPhone 18 was delayed is because Apple reportedly wants to push people into buying the more expensive Pro models. The last thing Apple is going to do is mess that strategy up by lowering the price of the older phone. And considering it hasn't officially been replaced, there's little need to incentivize sales by offering a lower price tag.Sign up to the Tom's iGuide weekly newsletter with coverage on everything from product launches to software updates, this is your go-to source for the latest updates on all the best Apple content.So the iPhone 17 continues, existing as the lower cost and less impressive alternative to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Albeit with a slightly bigger age gap than normal.We can't forget about price hikes either
