If your 2023 plans include buying a new iPhone, chances are you’re paying more for the privilege, at least when it comes to the top model. According to the latest iPhone 15 rumors, Apple is considering raising the price of the successor to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which could cost $200 more than the current model.
This makes the rumored iPhone 15 Ultra the most expensive phone Apple has ever sold. There is also.
iPhone 15 Ultra pricing rumors Leaked ApplePro (opens in new tab), posting Apple rumors of varying accuracy on Twitter. The leaker expects the iPhone 15 Ultra to cost at least $100 more than his iPhone 14 Pro Max’s starting price of $1,099, and said the price hike could add another $200. That means next year’s top Apple phone will have a starting price of $1,299, making it more expensive than the Ultra models in Samsung’s Galaxy S lineup.
Rising Component Costs Will Cause Prices to Rise.LeaksApplePro estimates that with iPhone manufacturing costs rising, the cost of components for the iPhone 15 Ultra could rise by about $100. That’s the uptick Apple will hand over to consumers — concludes the rumors.
Complicating matters is the whole concept of the iPhone 15 Ultra. Some rumors suggest that the phone isn’t just a rebranded Pro Max model, but an iPhone equivalent to the Apple Watch Ultra, an ultra-premium version with features that set it apart from the iPhone Pro handset. To that end, rumors are circulating that the Ultra may have features that set it apart from other iPhones, such as a more durable titanium frame, solid-state buttons, and periscope-style lenses.
So I can understand the logic here. The iPhone 15 Ultra offers premium features. Therefore, you can expect a premium price tag.
I’m not here to dispute that claim or to argue that there is no price tag. And that’s a lot of time for things to change.
The conditions driving up component costs could ease, and the iPhone 15 Ultra could cost less to manufacture than expected. Alternatively, Apple could look at market trends, conclude that higher prices would hurt sales, and set prices accordingly. No one but Apple really knows what the price of the iPhone 15 will be, leaving the options open for the few people who have a clue at this point.
After all, think about the iPhone 14 Pro model. These models were supposed to see their own price increases this fall. There were rumors of a $100 price increase for both the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max ahead of the September launch event. (LeaksApplePro is one of the rumormongers to spread this claim, interestingly.) The iPhone 14 Pro model started at the same $999 as its predecessor, and that increase never materialized.
There’s always the chance that history will repeat itself again with the iPhone 15 in 2023, especially considering how far away it is from its actual launch date.
Again, don’t take this as an indication that the iPhone 15 Ultra will be an affordable phone for most people. is a lot. I can’t sleep much on the possibility that the iPhone 15 Ultra will cost a little more than that.
For now, your best course of action is to be more proactive about your iPhone buying plans rather than worrying about price increases that may or may not happen. If you’re debating whether to buy an iPhone 15 or an iPhone 14, decide if paying more for a phone next year is going to kill you. If so, start buying iPhones now with a view to taking advantage of the best iPhone 14 Pro Max deals to lower the cost of Apple’s premium phones.
And if you’re still set for the iPhone 15 Ultra, or whatever the best iPhone for 2023 is, start budgeting as if you should consider the $200 price increase. At worst, you’ll end up paying exactly what you feared, and if the rumors are false, you’ll still have hundreds of dollars left in your pocket.
