Apple Cuts iPhone 17 Pro Prices in Israel by $90 Ahead of iPhone 18 Launch

Apple has instructed its Israeli importers, including iDigital, KSP, and iStore, to reduce the prices of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max by $90 starting Thursday, August 20, 2026. This price cut amounts to approximately 270 shekels based on the current exchange rate. The move comes as a surprise, reversing the company's price hikes from less than two months ago, when Apple increased iPad and MacBook prices by 15% to 25% due to a surge in memory chip costs.

The earlier price increases were attributed to a global shortage of memory components, a crisis dubbed "RAMageddon," driven by high demand from server farms supporting artificial intelligence models. According to TrendForce, memory chip prices rose over 90% in the first quarter of 2026 and an additional 60% in the second quarter.

Apple is expected to unveil the next generation of iPhone Pro models, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, in September 2026, with rumors also suggesting a new foldable iPhone. The base iPhone 18 model is anticipated to launch in spring 2027. Production costs for the new Pro models are estimated to be nearly 40% higher than the current generation, which could lead to price increases for the older iPhone 17 models in the near future.

For now, consumers in Israel benefit from the immediate price reduction on the iPhone 17 Pro series, providing a more affordable option before the new models arrive. The tech community remains uncertain whether Apple will follow its usual pattern of lowering previous generation prices when the new iPhones are released.