Apple Hikes iPhone 13 By 19% In Japan Months After CFO Cites FX Concerns

People in Japan who want the latest iPhone are going to have to pony up nearly 20% more, according to Nikkei Asia and confirmed by 9to5Mac.

iPhone 13 Pro (left) and iPhone 13 Pro Max. David Phelan via Forbes

While the iPhone 14 is set to launch in September, Apple hiked the the price of the existing iPhone 13 from 62,800 yen ($423) to 144,800 yen ($1,060), up from $423 and $899 respectively.

According to 9to5Mac, the higher prices – which are still less than US consumers are paying – may be a reflection of a weakening yen.

During an April 28 earnings release, Apple CFO Luca Maestri said that foreign exchange rates were becoming a problem for the company, as revenue forecasts are calculated in dollars, and turbulent FX rates will likely impact sales numbers for the June quarter.

As you can see, iPhone prices in Japan were even lower than in the United States. Unfortunately, Japan’s local currency has lost about 15% of its value compared to the US dollar in the last three months, which ultimately has an impact on the price of imported products.

Despite the price increase, iPhone sales in Japan seem to be doing well. Recent research shows that the new third-generation iPhone SE has been in strong demand in the Asian country, accounting for 18% of local smartphone sales in April. -9to5Mac

Meanwhile, iPads are now 25% more expensive at 49,800 yen ($368), and the Apple Watch saw a boost as well. In June, there was a 10% price hike on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models for the Japanese market.

The higher price point all but ensures that the iPhone 14 will have a higher price in Japan compared to the iPhone 13’s launch price last year.