Apple's 2025 fall product launch event is confirmed for September 10 at 1 a.m. Taiwan time. Market rumors suggest significant upgrades across Apple's hardware lineup, raising high expectations for the new features and subsequent sales performance of the iPhone 17.
Despite this optimism, Apple still faces challenges, including tariffs, exchange rates, and geopolitical conflicts. Key variables to watch include sales performance, AI strategy, and whether the rollout of foldable phones will proceed as expected.
Upgraded features drive anticipation
Speculation around the upcoming iPhone 17 series includes the possible introduction of an iPhone 17 Air model, top-tier versions supporting an 8x telephoto lens design, liquid cooling technology, and silicon-based batteries to improve battery life. Additionally, responding to the rapid development of generative AI (GenAI), the A19 chip used in the iPhone 17 has been optimized for AI computing performance.
With the iPhone 17 series set to be announced on September 10 and go on sale by mid-September, DIGITIMES Research estimates Apple's shipment volume will reach 90 million units, with expected sales of approximately 80 million units in the second half of 2025.
Four key challenges ahead
Even with strong momentum for the iPhone 17, several factors could impact its sales.
First, pricing pressures. Retailers currently estimate that the overall price of the iPhone 17 will increase by about 5% compared to the previous generation.
While 5% may seem modest, tariff issues complicate matters. Although the US raised reciprocal tariffs on India to 50%, Apple-related components and production have received tariff exemptions there. However, Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant remains the largest iPhone manufacturing base outside India, and geopolitical tensions could further affect Apple's supply chain.
Second, Apple Intelligence's lag and catch-up efforts. Compared to developments like Google Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT, Apple Intelligence is still actively improving usability beyond English language support. Currently, it only supports iPhone 15 Pro models and above, with some features not fully available yet.
As GenAI becomes a key smartphone selling point, how Apple reverses its AI application lag to deliver novel user experiences poses a major challenge.
Third, consumers rush to buy the iPhone 16. Following the announcement of reciprocal tariffs in April 2025, consumers expected higher prices for the iPhone 17, triggering a buying spree for the iPhone 16 during the second quarter of 2025. Whether this reduces demand for the iPhone 17 warrants attention.
Fourth, the impact of reciprocal tariffs. Tariff issues have also sparked calls to purchase domestic products in markets such as India. Consumers in Japan, Europe, Taiwan, and other regions have also expressed varying degrees of dissatisfaction with US policies under these tariff disputes. This sentiment could potentially weaken iPhone 17 sales.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
