“Back in February, I discussed the possibility of Apple’s upcoming iPhone 8 topping a $1,000 price in the US,” Bill Maurer writes for Seeking Alpha. “Since we already saw a price raise with the 7 Plus, and this new phone is supposed to be an even higher end device, it seemed logical that a higher end storage model of the 8 could easily price into the four digits. Today, one Apple watcher and developer argued that the 8 could start at nearly $1,200, which I think would be a tremendous mistake for the company as it looks to gain market share.”
“It’s been widely discussed that Apple is moving to an OLED display, although the timing depends on who you ask. It appears that the highest end device to be launched later this year will feature OLED panels, but the supply of this key device part has been questioned. Apple watcher John Gruber recently stated that the company may have trouble making 40 million of these OLED devices a quarter, which will send the smartphone’s price soaring,” Maurer writes. “Here’s part of his piece: ‘If Apple really is facing supply constraints due to new OLED panels and possible troubles with a new fingerprint reader, then he thinks that Apple will start the iPhone 8 at $1,199 with 64GB or storage, or even as much as $1,249. A 256GB model would start at $1,299 or as much as $1,399.'”
“That would certainly provide a level of differentiation that I discussed in my prior Apple article, between the likely new 7s, 7s Plus, and 8,” Maurer writes. “However, I think it would really push a number of consumers away, because even on a 24-month installment plan you’re talking about $50 a month just for the phone, not counting your calling/text/data plan”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The “iPhone 8” (or “iPhone X” or “iPhone Pro”) will be Apple’s flagship, premium, cutting-edge iPhone. It should be priced as such.
Customers who are looking for lower prices can simply opt for iPhone 7s or iPhone 7s Plus or even the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, which are likely to stick around as the entry-level models through late 2018, just as the 6s and 6s Plus are today, or get the iPhone SE, of course.
As we wrote back in February: Our Jet Black 256GB iPhone 7 Plus units with 3 GB RAM each cost $969 plus tax, so $1,000+ for a loaded “iPhone X” with 4+ GB of RAM would certainly not be surprising.
And when did Apple say they were looking to “gain market share” in the smartphone market overall?
(Yes, in places like India they are looking to sell more iPhones, but Apple simply doesn’t worship at the Church of Market Share. They’re in – and winning handily – a totally different race.)
SEE ALSO:
Apple took 83% of smartphone market profits in calendar first quarter – May 16, 2017
Apple’s Tenth Anniversary iPhone will likely cost more than $1,000, source says – February 8, 2017
Goldman: Apple’s next iPhone will break the $1,000 barrier and send the stock soaring – May 12, 2017
