The forthcoming iPhone 15 Pro models from Apple will be more costly, according to a new report from DigiTimes which echoes months rumors of price hikes for Apple’s best iPhones.
The iPhone 15 Ultra (née Pro Max) price will approach or exceed $2,000 if rumors of a new 2TB storage option are true.
According to the Digitimes report, the iPhone 15 lineup will be priced as such:
• iPhone 15: starting at $799
• iPhone 15 Plus: starting at $899
• iPhone 15 Pro: starting at $1,099
• iPhone 15 Ultra: starting at $1,299
Why is Apple doing this? Sales of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, while increasing in recent months, have largely underwhelmed. The iPhone 14 Plus is priced at just $100 less than the iPhone 14 Pro, and the difference becomes insignificant over an average two-year carrier contract. Apple carries similar profit margins across all iPhone models, so an even spread of demand works best for its supply chain.
The new prices should change this. The iPhone 15 Pro will cost $300 more than an iPhone 15, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max/Ultra will cost $400 more than the iPhone 14 Plus…
Apple will hope its relatively moderate iPhone 14 Pro-inspired upgrades for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus (Dynamic Island design, 48MP camera, A16 chip) will contrast enough with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (super slim bezels, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, faster charging, titanium chassis) to create clear value distinctions.
MacDailyNews Take: Last month, Tim Long, an analyst at British bank Barclays, wrote in a note to clients that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models will likely be more expensive than the current models. He based this information on conversations with supply chain companies in Asia.
DigiTimes’ new report matches Longs prices:
• iPhone 15: $799 (unchanged)
• iPhone 15 Plus: $899 (unchanged)
• iPhone 15 Pro: $1,099 (vs. $999 for iPhone 14 Pro)
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: up to $1,299 (vs. $1,099 iPhone 14 Pro Max)
Of course, the prices are still a tremendous value (especially when factoring in the effect of historic inflation) while also providing some much-needed differentiation and separation for Pro models.
However belatedly, Apple is smart to better differentiate the iPhone Pro models over the base models, including a more pronounced pricing spread. – MacDailyNews, May 25, 2023
Apple should have been doing this prior, but it’s good to see some additional differentiation between entry-level and “Pro” iPhone which will, of course, tilt more buyers to iPhone Pro models, increasing Apple’s iPhone ASP. The expected removal of the inelegant kludge (notch) in favor of a more refined pill and hole punch design exclusively in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will also help differentiate the Pro models from the non-Pro iPhones later this year, moving the mix toward higher-end iPhones. – MacDailyNews, July 6, 2022
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That rumored high-speed data/charging cable BETTER be included with the Ultra models. Though the thought makes me ill, Apple is probably going to follow Tesla in software-locking features, the former does it for battery capacity while AAPL may do it for transfer speeds. “Can’t innovate my @$$!”