Conventional wisdom suggests that older iPhone models should drop in price as a new generation approaches, but the reality in the UAE market is often quite different. Rather than seeing a decline, traders in Dubai’s Deira market are reporting a noticeable price hike for current models like the iPhone 17. This trend is driven by consumer anxiety; when rumors circulate that the upcoming iPhone 18 will be significantly more expensive, many shoppers rush to secure the current iteration. As demand surges and available stock begins to thin out, retailers are finding themselves forced to adjust prices upward by as much as Dh300.

This phenomenon is not entirely unprecedented, though market behavior can be unpredictable from year to year. While some previous launches saw price drops as retailers cleared inventory, current market dynamics are favoring a seller’s advantage due to high demand and potential supply constraints. Dealers are noting that specific configurations, such as the 1TB models and popular colorways like silver, are becoming particularly hard to source. Ultimately, as the launch window for the next iPhone nears, the combination of cautious consumers and limited availability suggests that the expected “pre-launch discount” may be a thing of the past for many shoppers in the region.