07/10 Update below. This post was originally published on July 7th
Consensus is growing on Apple’s biggest iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro upgrades, but one area of contention continues: valuation. While there are still concerns that Apple will raise prices for all iPhone 15 models, the latest leak is bad news for anyone interested in Apple’s flagship model.
According to a leaked report seen by AppleInsider, influential technology analyst of Haitong International Securities, Jeff Pu, revealed that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever released.
Pu did not state a price, but a price increase of up to $200 has been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro models for some time. For the iPhone 15 Pro Max, this means the price will be broken down as follows:
- iPhone 15 Pro Max, 128GB — $1,299
- iPhone 15 Pro Max, 256GB — $1,399
- iPhone 15 Pro Max, 512GB — $1,599
- iPhone 15 Pro Max, 1TB: — $1,799
While these prices can be shocking, U.S. buyers have shrunk slightly in recent years on the back of dollar strength, but worldwide inflation has led to multiple price spikes for buyers. international buyers in recent years and the increase in domestic prices is inevitable sooner or later. International buyers may also be affected again.
Pu’s report aligns with similar information from Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, who told CNBC last month that the average selling price of the next-generation iPhone will increase. Like the Pu, Ives doesn’t provide specific pricing, so it’s unclear whether prices will rise across the range or be limited to the Pro models only.
According to my sources, both iPhone 15 Pro models are likely to increase in price as Apple continues its broader product strategy to widen the gap between Pro and non-Pro devices. Their switch to a leaked titanium chassis will be a factor, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max will exclusively feature a new periscope optical zoom lens, a long-awaited feature and too thick to fit. the Pro is smaller.
In addition to the price, Pu added that he expects the iPhone 15 series to begin mass production in August, with 84 million units produced in 2023.
Although still the subject of rumors, the iPhone 15 series has been criticized for being «a trivial upgrade». This is because the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are supposed to just copy the Dynamic Island Design of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, while also using the A16 chipset and their 48-megapixel main cameras.
There will be bigger upgrades to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max with titanium chassis, ultra-thin bezels, upgraded UWB, next-gen 3nm A17 chipset, and customizable solid-state Action button instead mute switch. All iPhone 15 models will also use USB-C.
Will the combination of modest upgrades and higher prices be enough to deter potential upgraders? Given that similar accusations were made against the iPhone 14 series last year and the phone is still flying off store shelves, I suspect not. That said, Apple could be a bit more ambitious in 2024…
Update 7/9: Apple’s expected price increase is unlikely to satisfy iPhone 15 Pro buyers, but could be due to an unexpected upgrade. While my sources shoot down reports of a big increase in iPhone 15 . battery capacity Last week, trusted insider Unknownz21 told me that buyers could see up to 10% increase in battery life through software and hardware efficiency.
The leaker explains: “I don’t expect any major improvements – the batteries that I saw during testing appear to be similar to the 14 series, both in design and capacity. “Probably about 10% improvement, which is like another reason for people to upgrade, but I don’t expect anything beyond that.”
This is consistent with information I have received from two other anonymous sources. Neither is happy to give percentages for the gain, but both emphasize that Apple is looking to increase the battery life of the iPhone 15 Pro models, especially.
Why Pro models? Two factors. First, Apple continues to seek out Pro model differences as part of a broader strategy to increase the gap between all its Pro and non-Pro products, something that justifies the gap. their increasing prices.
Second, the iPhone 15 Pro models will be equipped with Apple’s next-generation 3nm production A17 chip. Compared to the 5nm A16 used in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, the A17 can run faster, cooler, and more efficiently. Apple will have to decide a balance between increased performance and increased battery life, but it makes sense that any battery gain should stem from this.
Update July 10: More details about the iPhone 14 Pro have been leaked by Unknownz21, an industry insider. On Friday, the leaker teamed up with MacRumors to reveal that Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro hero color will be dark blue with a gray tint, instead of the widely expected deep red that was leaked months earlier.
Unknownz21 has been teasing this surprise color switch for a while now, but the post isn’t over yet, with the leaker taking to Twitter to add more information yesterday.
Unknownz21 disclosure that they believe the widely leaked red finish is a «bait» – something Apple has used over the last year to root out leaks within the company. This makes a lot of sense, as several well-known Apple leakers went silent this year after revealing information that exposed their sources.
This has indeed had a positive effect on preventing a wide range of leakers, and the rest of the sources are taking extra steps to protect their sources and their credibility. The free-for-all seen in recent years has stopped.
Back to the colors themselves, and Unknownz21 also adds that they’ve seen the colors and prototypes «have a matching blue panel, if they were just testing the frame material – that wouldn’t be necessary for the paneling.» fit, they can just use anything.»
The blue finish will be used with the titanium frame (the first iPhones used this material as they removed the heavier stainless steel) and – although this would be subjective – Unknownz21 claims that the color new “by far the most beautiful” in the range.
While it’s a seemingly minor detail, interest in the iPhone’s finish has skyrocketed as the phone transitions from functionality to fashion items. Apple knows this, and each new product line comes in a standout color that is sure to outsell all other options. If Unknownz21 is right from their point of view, it’s bound to happen again.
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