The $999 iPhone era might finally be over.

Since the iPhone X dropped in 2017, Apple’s managed to keep its base model at that clean $999 price in the U.S.

But now? Things are getting more expensive behind the scenes.

New tariffs are hitting not just China but countries like India, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Ireland — basically all the places Apple’s been shifting production to avoid... tariffs.

So now it’s getting squeezed from every side.

That leaves Apple with a few not-great options: eat the extra cost, lean harder on suppliers, or raise prices. Guess which one’s most likely?

Yeah, a lot of people use payment plans or trade-ins, so the sticker price doesn’t always sting.

But $999 has been a mental ceiling. Cross it, and people start thinking twice.

Unless Tim Cook pulls off some last-minute dealmaking, a price hike could land as soon as April. So if you've been eyeing a new iPhone, might be time to move.