'Major Price Hike' Again Rumored for iPhone 15 Pro Models

[JoeG4]

Tim cook : hold my beer

I can't wait to see people going "It's not for you" over a super duper overpriced phone _made for content creators_ or whatever lmao.

I wonder which angle they'd go for. Tethering to a sony alpha a7r vi over thunderbolt for live stuff? Sticking the iPhone in a brand new gimbal cage and using it as a camera head? Saying <insert movie here> was actually filmed on prototype iPhone 15 Pros? IDK it's gotta be something funny... and pretentious and somewhat unrealistic lol.

 

[Sebalto]

Wonder when iPhone will have a price DROP.

That’d be a rumour I’d support

Then it would lose its allure as a luxury item.

 

[solq]

The 14PM with 512Gb of storage is already just shy of $1900 here where I live. More expensive than the M2 15" Macbook Air, upgraded to the same storage. This is funny and a bit insane.

So with a price increase, now what, $2000 for a 15 Pro Max with 512Gb? The value just doesn't seem there.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

" data-source="post: 32428176" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

This is a very interesting article! We will know within ONE week!

iPhone 15 Pro: 'Major price hike' coming for these two reasons - 9to5Mac

We’re just a week away from Apple’s iPhone 15 “Wonderlust” event, and a new rumor today once again suggests that...

9to5mac.com

Tim Cooks comment from earlier in the year highlights just how insensitive the corporate World are to their customers. He’s right, some really will ‘stretch’ their finances and put themselves in positions of barely affordable monthly bills. Not everybody is sensible for sure.

“And so I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category.”

It also cracks me up that the article claims that a potential reason for the price hike could be the switch from stainless steel to titanium. There is no real need to make this switch, so it feels like Apple were running out of ideas and a material switch was something to differentiate the new phones from last years, as basic spec changes are practically minimal.

 

[Sebalto]

The 14PM with 512Gb of storage is already just shy of $1900 here where I live. More expensive than the M2 15" Macbook Air, upgraded to the same storage. This is funny and a bit insane.

So with a price increase, now what, $2000 for a 15 Pro Max with 512Gb? The value just doesn't seem there.

I agree. Im going to wait until next Tuesday to see what the price levels are like before I decide that I may pickup an S23. I'm not the biggest Samsung fan but I am nearing the end of my tolerance for being fleeced.

 

[laptech]

Until there is a gigantic leap in battery technology that allows devices to last longer than a few hours when on max usage, there was always going to be a technological limit that would be reached due to the current state of batteries. I have no doubt Apple and other mobile phone manufacturers would like use much better and more powerful LCD screens, more powerful processor chips, more powerful memory, better and stronger telecomms hardware, more powerful camera's. I have no doubt the technology is already there to make such stuff but all of them would require more power from the battery, batteries that as yet do not have the capability of providing all the power the new and more power hungry technology need.

So what does Apple do? go for form over function. Make the casing of a different material because they have reached the limit of the internal hardware.

 

[SpaceCrystal]

I've had almost 5 years to save up for a new phone, amongst other things. Coming from a regular XS to an 15 Pro max/Ultra. I'm ok with the increase if there is one.

I’ll be buying it regardless as I’m sure millions of others will.

I personally don’t see the big deal, but also understand why others are concerned.

it’s my most used device every single day. and I always sell the previous model to make up for 70%-80% of the cost of the new model.

it’s a no-brainer (IMO).

I’m mostly going for the iPhone 15 Pro Max itself, as I definitely need an upgrade from my current phone badly (Samsung Galaxy S8). Unlike the majority of people who buys phones every year, I have a good reason for doing so.

One, the iPhone 15 series in general is coming out with a USB-C charging port, as I don’t want to go backwards with Lightning & need another charging cable just to charge one device.

Second, my current phone is on its last legs & is constantly showing its age. I can’t download certain apps like Hardee’s, Zelle & RoboKiller, the Samsung Keyboard & the phone itself sometimes keeps lagging & freezing for a while whenever I try to reply to someone on YouTube due to me keep having current less free RAM memory of 1.4 GB’s or less every time that I go to optimize my phone (the S8 in general only has 4 GB’s of LPDDR4 RAM). And I’m running out of storage space (it only has a max of 64 GB’s). I’ve had this phone for six years now since it’s release.

I more or less have enough money for the phone itself ($1,400). I just got to save more money to cover the costs of two years of AppleCare+ with theft & loss, & for more storage (going for 1TB if the rumors are true that they’ll start with 256GB’s of storage as the base). And I’m buying it outright (factory unlocked) through Apple’s online store.

 

[MuppetGate]

Tim Cooks comment from earlier in the year highlights just how insensitive the corporate World are to their customers. He’s right, some really will ‘stretch’ their finances and put themselves in positions of barely affordable monthly bills. Not everybody is sensible for sure.



It also cracks me up that the article claims that a potential reason for the price hike could be the switch from stainless steel to titanium. There is no real need to make this switch, so it feels like Apple were running out of ideas and a material switch was something to differentiate the new phones from last years, as basic spec changes are practically minimal.

Isn’t titanium lighter and stronger?

 

[SpaceCrystal]

Yes it will be available with micro-usb, lightning, and ALSO type-c. But im not sure of course, EU demanding type-c on all phones are just RUMORS.

EDIT: my fault, u said 14, not 15

The fact that Apple are supplying accessories with USB-C charging & USB-C cases (such as with the AirPods Pro 2) already basically confirms that USB-C will be on the iPhone 15 series.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

The fact that Apple are supplying accessories with USB-C charging & USB-C cases (such as with the AirPods Pro 2) already basically confirms that USB-C will be on the iPhone 15 series.

The Airpods Pro 2 usb c are a only speculation at this point, no?

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Isn’t titanium lighter and stronger?

Yes, but what are you doing with your phone that requires it to be 43% lighter but 30% stronger than stainless steel?

Aluminium is 60% lighter than titanium too, but many consumers who have followed Apples marketing strategies these last few years have falsely assumed ‘lightness’ means cheap. That has been the narrative whether it was suggested or not.

Titanium is more difficult to process and machine of any of the other two materials, so consumers are effectively paying for a slightly more expensive material that has a much higher processing cost. When I consider I rarely use my iPhone as a tyre lever, the mechanical properties of titanium seem more of a marketing gimmick than anything else.

 

[wikiverse]

the mechanical properties of titanium seem more of a marketing gimmick than anything else.

I've held onto my iPhone 8 for 6 years because I didn't like the size, but particularly the weight of the newer phones. I'm considering some flavor of iPhone 15 Pro because it would eliminate that issue for me.

Aluminum might be lighter, but it's also easily deformed, which was a huge problem with the iPhone 6 - not just with bending, but with deformations after being dropped causing issues with the screen (touch disease), which cost apple a lot of money in repairs and replacements. Aluminum is a bad choice for a chassis which is why they moved to stainless steel in the first place.

Titanium is a superior option because of it's strength and weight, but it's hard to machine and it's expensive. Is it necessary? No. But periscope cameras, smaller bezels, and a cut out in the screen are also unnecessary, hard to make and expensive. It all comes down to what they can include for a price people are willing to pay.

I'd prefer the titanium frame and periscope camera at the same or lower price point as the 14, even if it meant a smaller screen with bigger bezels and no cutout. But I don't design the phones.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I've held onto my iPhone 8 for 6 years because I didn't like the size, but particularly the weight of the newer phones. I'm considering some flavor of iPhone 15 Pro because it would eliminate that issue for me.

Aluminum might be lighter, but it's also easily deformed, which was a huge problem with the iPhone 6 - not just with bending, but with deformations after being dropped causing issues with the screen (touch disease), which cost apple a lot of money in repairs and replacements. Aluminum is a bad choice for a chassis which is why they moved to stainless steel in the first place.

Titanium is a superior option because of it's strength and weight, but it's hard to machine and it's expensive. Is it necessary? No. But periscope cameras, smaller bezels, and a cut out in the screen are also unnecessary, hard to make and expensive. It all comes down to what they can include for a price people are willing to pay.

I'd prefer the titanium frame and periscope camera at the same or lower price point as the 14, even if it meant a smaller screen with bigger bezels and no cutout. But I don't design the phones.

I have owned several aluminium iPhones and never have I deformed one. Aluminium is an ideal material for a phone chassis as it is light and dissipates heat much better than stainless steel or titanium.

 

[ecr80]

Hope there's options and keep the titanium version separate as a iPhone Ultra, but if it replaces the Pro, depending on the raise I may have to consider going Regular for the first time in a long time. or just keeping my current 14 Pro and just replacing the battery.

 

[Star Brood]

Keep paying, they'll keep raising the price. Stop paying, keep your current phone. The question I'll be asking myself: for the £1200+ they'll want to charge, will I get that much value extra, over and above my current phone. I already know the answer.

Oh this is so true. I'm on an iPhone Xs. Even several years of new iPhones later and... no real world improvements have been made. It's always the exact same phone with new marketing to talk about features supposedly new to the latest phone that have existed in phones for five years.

 

[Star Brood]

I agree. Im going to wait until next Tuesday to see what the price levels are like before I decide that I may pickup an S23. I'm not the biggest Samsung fan but I am nearing the end of my tolerance for being fleeced.

I would not personally go back to Android strictly because my iTunes movies and music are locked in on the iOS ecosystem. Movies Anywhere doesn't cover everything, and certainly doesn't cover Germany. I hope this changes one day, but I am not holding my breath.

 

[Star Brood]

I've held onto my iPhone 8 for 6 years because I didn't like the size, but particularly the weight of the newer phones. I'm considering some flavor of iPhone 15 Pro because it would eliminate that issue for me.

Aluminum might be lighter, but it's also easily deformed, which was a huge problem with the iPhone 6 - not just with bending, but with deformations after being dropped causing issues with the screen (touch disease), which cost apple a lot of money in repairs and replacements. Aluminum is a bad choice for a chassis which is why they moved to stainless steel in the first place.

Titanium is a superior option because of it's strength and weight, but it's hard to machine and it's expensive. Is it necessary? No. But periscope cameras, smaller bezels, and a cut out in the screen are also unnecessary, hard to make and expensive. It all comes down to what they can include for a price people are willing to pay.

I'd prefer the titanium frame and periscope camera at the same or lower price point as the 14, even if it meant a smaller screen with bigger bezels and no cutout. But I don't design the phones.

I wish the notch/cutout phase would die with extreme prejudice. The **** on my Xs gets in the way constantly. I'd rather have an actual rectangle for a screen. They can do it like the Galaxy S8 but without the curved edges (even though I love them, they aren't for everyone), and it would still deliver immense screen real estate. Stupid notches are everywhere.

 

[EvanBoBevin]

I think Apple messed up their pricing strategy. Companies everywhere were raising prices last year and Apple surprised 'experts' while keeping them steady in the US. That was the year to increment by $50-$100 even if their BOM didn't justify it.

Now, as others have said, there is some spending pull back and wage increases aren't as significant as before. People will think twice as they cross the $999 line for the Pro series. Perhaps that is part of the reason they assume 10M less phones this cycle.

 

[webkit]

I think Apple messed up their pricing strategy. Companies everywhere were raising prices last year and Apple surprised 'experts' while keeping them steady in the US. That was the year to increment by $50-$100 even if their BOM didn't justify it.

Now, as others have said, there is some spending pull back and wage increases aren't as significant as before. People will think twice as they cross the $999 line for the Pro series. Perhaps that is part of the reason they assume 10M less phones this cycle.

Give the currency exchange issue (strong USD) which lead to price increases outside the U.S. last year, Apple may have felt that also increasing prices in the U.S. could have impacted overall sales too much. It would've also meant, at least in some countries, that iPhones were being sold pre-purchase tax that much cheaper (in USD) overseas.

 

[EvanBoBevin]

Give the currency exchange issue (strong USD) which lead to price increases outside the U.S. last year, Apple may have felt that also increasing prices in the U.S. could have impacted overall sales too much. It would've also meant, at least in some countries, that iPhones were being sold pre-purchase tax that much cheaper (in USD) overseas.

I would have guessed the consumer "climate" was more favorable to a price increase last year than this, but what do I know.

Also am surprised to read that they are allocating more units for Pro Max. I don't see as many people with the larger version personally.

 

[AbSoluTc]

Regardless of the price increase, Apple will claim that, “We think you are going to love it. It’s the best iPhone Apple has ever worked on.”

And you will still buy it.

 

[cocky jeremy]

I don't think we will see a price increase. If that does happen, I don't consider it a big deal. Apple could raise the price by $1.00 and many on here would complain as if they didn't have a choice.

Not to mention, price increases don't happen that often on iPhones. You can't expect more and more tech and expect to pay the same price.

 

[webkit]

Also am surprised to read that they are allocating more units for Pro Max. I don't see as many people with the larger version personally.

According to CIRP survey data, the 14 Pro Max accounted for the greatest portion of U.S. sales in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, although dropped to second place (behind the "regular" 14) in Q2 2023. I'm not sure how the ROW compares.

 

[Ethosik]

Does anyone NOT put their iPhone on their Apple Card to pay it off with no interest? In that case a price jump is practically irrelevant.

It keeps it in the balance which can impact your credit score.

 

[JohannesO]

Price hike?

Please film the audience guys!