iPhone 17 Pro Max Price Slashed Ahead Of iPhone 18 Release

Amazon UK has cut the iPhone 17 Pro Max to £1,049 — £150 below launch price — and John Lewis is selling it for £1,099. Apple has also raised trade-in values by up to 30% ahead of the iPhone 18 launch. Here's whether now is the right time to buy or whether waiting makes more sense.

This story was updated on August 21st with new iPhone 17 buying advice. Update below.

As Apple buyers prepare for higher iPhone 18 prices—and a concerningly expensive iPhone Fold/Ultra—retailers are slashing the price of the iPhone 17 series ahead of next month’s launch.

Amazon U.K. and John Lewis has dropped prices for the entire iPhone 17 lineup, with the exception of the iPhone 17e.

As I covered back in June, third-party retailers have been clearing stock by discounting the iPhone 17 series for a couple of months. Spanish, German, and Australian shoppers have been treated to lower prices for unlocked iPhones since the start of summer. The U.K. has now joined them.

Apple is also preparing for the launch by raising its trade-in prices. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, is the most valuable device to trade in at $720 in the U.S. (depending on condition, of course), up from $695.

The iPhone 16 Pro jumped from $560 to $630, which is the largest bump in the iPhone lineup. Values went up across almost every model, all the way back to older handsets like the iPhone 11, which is now worth up to $110.

Here’s a selection of iPhone trade-in prices.

After quietly removing some recent Samsung Galaxy phones from its trade-in program, Apple has added other Android phones, including (for the first time) the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL at $315 and the OnePlus 13 at $250. The most Apple will pay for your Samsung phone is $125 for the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

If you’re not holding out for the latest tech and just want a good deal on a new iPhone, it might be worth taking one of these deals seriously.

iPhone 18 prices are rising in response to the RAM crisis that is forcing component costs up. As a result, the iPhone 17 series might be the cheapest iPhones will be for a long time.

There is a balancing act here, though, because retailers are slashing prices specifically to clear stock. If you wait for bigger discounts down the line, these models might sell out entirely before you get the chance.

Apple also discontinues the Pro models of the previous generation immediately after a new device launches, making them much harder to find brand new. Your next best bet will be a refurbished unit, which can sell for up to 30% less than a new model, but you have to go through the rigmarole of finding reputable refurbishers.

For Pro and Pro Max buyers, these are solid discounts that are worth picking up now, or at least monitoring over the next couple of weeks to see if prices drop any further. For base and Plus model shoppers, you have more time to hold out for bigger and better deals down the road.

Update: if you already own an iPhone and you plan to upgrade, there’s good reason to act now to secure the best sale price.

TechRadar spoke with Sam Wilson, Director at refurbished tech site Gadget GoGo, who says iPhone owners should sell their current devices before the iPhone 18 launch, because the value drop that follows is swift and brutal.

"If you've got a Pro or Pro Max, waiting until after the launch can be particularly costly. We can see values fall by £150 to £300 in a matter of weeks, so selling slightly earlier can make a significant difference to what you get back," Wilson said.

That’s on top of the retailer discounts already happening for the iPhone 17 series. Your phone is losing value from two directions simultaneously: the market is discounting new iPhone 17s, and used iPhone 17s are about to take a 30% hit the moment Apple announces the iPhone 18.

If you sell now, you can be left without a phone until the iPhone 18 lands. But Wilson says that most buyback services will let you lock in today's higher price and keep using your phone until you're ready to hand it over.

It’s worth pointing out, though, that buyback services will typically pay less for your device than selling it yourself on eBay, Swappa or another secondary marketplace. It’s more effort to list it and deal with buyers (and refunds) but it’s how you get the best price for your iPhone 17 or another device.