It’s probably the clearest indication Apple will give us about upcoming changes. Consumers may be willing to pay more than the top-line price of the current iPhone 14 series if they get an additional (and potentially distinguishing) set of features and functionality, according to the tech giant. Is this a hint that a more expensive iPhone is on the way? And, as a follow-up to that thought, would it be an iPhone that sits above the current ‘Pro Max,’ or something else?
After all, the world is clamoring for a foldable iPhone. Something new is required for the more than 2 billion active iPhone install base. The company made it clear during the quarterly earnings call, which included the holiday quarter, and was not as rosy for the iPhone in particular as it has consistently been over the past few years, that they are thinking about the next chapter for the iPhone. It can’t just be a price increase to keep up with the realities of manufacturing an iPhone and selling it in a market that may be impacted by changing economic realities.
During the earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that potential buyers are willing to pay more if a better option is available. “I believe people are willing to go to great lengths to get the best they can afford in that category,” he says. This would imply Apple’s firm belief that a price increase or an even more expensive iPhone would not be difficult to sell, as consumers are willing to pay more for what they perceive to be more valuable.
Neither Apple nor Cook has said whether they expect further price cuts shortly, but if that happens, cushioning the blow with new features may be the way to go. That brings us to the iPhone Ultra, the subject of much speculation. It is expected to rank higher in the hierarchy than the Pro Max phones, effectively making them the most expensive iPhones in the lineup. Could it begin with the iPhone 15 series, which will be released later this year?
At the moment, the iPhone 14 Pro Max with 1TB storage costs $1,89,900 – this is the most expensive model. Apart from the screen size difference, it isn’t all that different from the iPhone 14 Pro. In 2022, Apple attempted to differentiate the most expensive phone from the rest by including a periscope camera for better optical zoom photography. The use of Dynamic Island instead of the standard notch helped distinguish the iPhone 14 Pro phones from the competition.
Apple can go in several directions from here. It may select more than one option. One thing is certain: the iPhone family’s calm status quo will not last long.
