Apple has quietly bumped up the prices for loads of its products in the UK after Brexit
The Cupertino technology giant has increased the UK prices of certain models of iPhone, iPad Pro, and iPad Air - while retaining the older, smaller pricetag in the US.
On Wednesday, Apple announced the iPhone 7, as well as the second Apple Watch, in its biggest launch day of the year. At the same time, it has increased the minimum internal storage in many of its devices, up from 16GB to 32GB.
On Apple's American website, this hasn't affected prices. But UK customers could be in for a shock if they were holding off on purchasing goods in the hope of a reduction.
The iPhone 7 is the most obvious offender. The cheapest version of the 6s retailed for £539; its successor, the 32GB iPhone 7, goes for £599 ($649 in the US, then and now). Meanwhile, the highest-end model, with 256GB of storage, is £919 - £100 more than its predecessor.
Take the iPad Air 2, Apple's thin tablet computer. That used to retail for £349 with 16GB of storage. Now, the lowest option is 32GB - and it'll cost you £379. Cellular options, meanwhile, used to start at £449; it's now £499. But in the US, the price hasn't changed from $399 for the cheapest storage option, and $529 for the cellular option.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro, meanwhile, already had a minimum storage option of 32GB. That now starts from £729, up from £679. (In the US? $799.)
The Apple Pencil, a stylus accessory for the iPad, is now £99 (previously £79).
What's behind this UK-only price increase? An Apple spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, so we don't know for sure. But it's potentially down to the fall in the value of the pound in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. Apple does its accounting in dollars, so may have been forced to put up its prices to compensate for this.
The iPhone 7 is a largely incremental upgrade on its predecessor, the iPhone 6s. Major changes include a better camera, water resistance, and the controversial removal of the headphone jack. Instead, customers are forced to use wireless headphones or plug in their headphones to the Lightning port via the adaptor - something that will prevent them from charging their device and listening to music at the same time.
