Tim Cook CEO celebrating the launch of the iPhone 17 models at a New York Apple Store on the 19th (local time). AFP=Yonhap News.

Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the price increase for the latest iPhone models is not related to the high tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

According to a report by CNBC on the 19th (local time), Cook told the media outlet in an interview at a New York Apple Store to commemorate the launch of the latest iPhone models, "To be clear, there is absolutely no tariff-related increase in the price of the (iPhone)."

CNBC reported this as the latest instance where Cook has firmly addressed the tariff issue concerning iPhone prices.

With the launch of new iPhone models, Apple has effectively increased prices by eliminating the lower capacity (128GB) option for each model.

The iPhone 17 base model starts at $799 (256GB), the Pro at $1,099 (256GB), and the Pro Max at $1,199 (256GB). The "iPhone Air," which replaces the Plus model and is the thinnest ever, is priced at $999 (256GB), making it $100 more expensive than the previous Plus model (128GB).

iPhone 17 series displayed at a New York Apple Store. Reuters=Yonhap News.

While Apple has produced most of its products in China for many years, it has recently shifted its supply chain to countries with lower tariffs, such as India and Vietnam, to avoid tariffs when importing into the United States.

According to CNBC, Cook revealed that Apple incurred $800 million (approximately 1.119 trillion won) in tariff-related costs in the quarter ending June.

Regarding criticisms that Apple is slow to adopt artificial intelligence (AI), Cook stated, "We are implementing AI everywhere in the iPhone. We're just not calling it that."

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