Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Why does the 6S cost $250 more than the SE?

V

vistokid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
I'm trying to wrap my head around what could possibly make the 6S cost almost 65% more than the SE. Does this mean the 7 will have a lower price point? I just can't see Apple dropping the price on their flagship phone.

Can't believe I'm saying this but is the SE TOO CHEAP??? 🙂
 
  • Like
Reactions: 9fiftyfive, pcoventry76 and Jetcat3
$399 5SE is pretty much a 6S Mini and the price difference is $300 compared to $699 6S. There's no value proposition going with $300 more 6S or $350 more 6S Plus. 6S and 6S Plus need price adjustments to $499 and $549 respectively or release a totally blinged out 7 and 7 Plus at current prices.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Apple Human, Benjamin Frost and skinned66
vistokid said:
Maybe from your perspective on what you're willing to pay for those features, but from Apple's margin perspective it does not cost nearly that much to put those features in the 6S.

The math does not add up.
Click to expand...

I hate to break it to you, but it doesn't have to add up, at all. Why does a Starbucks coffee cost $5 and pretty much the same coffee from Dunkin Donuts cost $1.50?

It costs $250 more because it does. Either buy one or the other or don't buy either. Pretty simple.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DMVillain, planetf1, GlenK and 16 others
Do you think the plus should carry a $100 premium? If so, there is $100 difference b.c the screen sizes. Add in 3D touch, better front facing camera, touch ID 2, barometer, etc and that is the rest.

Honestly everyone should be doing backflips over these prices. I still am in shock for $499 I can basically get a mini 6S (64gb) and not miss any features that matter to me personally.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Apple Human, mwhals, noanker and 3 others
se1000 said:
I hate to break it to you, but it doesn't have to add up, at all. Why does a Starbucks coffee cost $5 and pretty much the same coffee from Dunkin Donuts cost $1.50?

It costs $250 more because it does. Either buy one or the other or don't buy either. Pretty simple.
Click to expand...

LOL... I'm just asking a question, nothing to take personal.

But your example is also flawed. Apple is one single company. Don't use 2 completely different companies to compare price structure.
[doublepost=1458662364][/doublepost]
mattopotamus said:
Do you think the plus should carry a $100 premium? If so, there is $100 difference b.c the screen sizes. Add in 3D touch, better front facing camera, touch ID 2, barometer, etc and that is the rest.

Honestly everyone should be doing backflips over these prices. I still am in shock for $499 I can basically get a mini 6S (64gb) and not miss any features that matter to me personally.
Click to expand...

Excellent point... there's significant value compared to the 6S. Apple is smart, they know how to price point their devices extremely well. This price point is a really bold move. I hope it means the price of the 7 will be more in line with the SE.
 
  • Like
Reactions: na1577, Benjamin Frost and Trin813
vistokid said:
Maybe from your perspective on what you're willing to pay for those features, but from Apple's margin perspective it does not cost nearly that much to put those features in the 6S.

The math does not add up.
Click to expand...

Clearly there is some markup going on with the 6s. They have to recoup the costs of the design work, R&D, etc that goes into the latest phone.

Look at it this way...The SE is basically the 5S with many of the 6S internals. Instead of discontinuing the 5S this year, they've extended the life of it by an extra year and dropped the price by $50. And they'll keep people who are loyal to the 4" form factor.
 
vistokid said:
LOL... I'm just asking a question, nothing to take personal.

But your example is also flawed. Apple is one single company. Don't use 2 completely different companies to compare price structure.
Click to expand...

You can cut it any way you want. Why does a iPad Mini LTE cost less than a iPhone 6s+? Surely the MUCH larger screen, larger battery, etc etc cost more than having 1 speaker at the top of the device.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trin813
se1000 said:
You can cut it any way you want. Why does a iPad Mini LTE cost less than a iPhone 6s+? Surely the MUCH larger screen, larger battery, etc etc cost more than having 1 speaker at the top of the device.
Click to expand...

Fine point.

I have never understood why the iPad costs less than the iPhone... other than Apple can get away with charging more because of demand.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tedson
It's good to compare actual cost to Apple which is probably a few dollars per item vs perceived consumer value. I predict most will easily go with the huge savings over the insignificant differences. Touch ID 2 is too fast and Apple Pay doesn't work everywhere, 3d touch is a gimmick when long press works with live photos and is more effortless, rear camera is the only one that matters and the rest are insignificant to most.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vistokid
Because it is Apple. I bought an expensive 6s last year and now they release this cheaper and smaller phone with the same specs....what can i say? that's my punishment for not buying a galaxy again...sigh.

Oh wait i have 3d touch!!! yei....😵
 
Last edited:
vistokid said:
I'm trying to wrap my head around what could possibly make the 6S cost almost 65% more than the SE. Does this mean the 7 will have a lower price point? I just can't see Apple dropping the price on their flagship phone.

Can't believe I'm saying this but is the SE TOO CHEAP??? 🙂
Click to expand...
Uhhhhh…because the 6s was released in September 2015 long before the iPhone SE and is Apple's current flagship device while the iPhone SE is NOT.

Was this really a serious question?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: deburn, bhayes444, willmtaylor and 1 other person
BeeGood said:
Sometimes it actually costs more to make a given component smaller.
Click to expand...

That's actually a good point. 4" is an uncommon industry size so there's a lost in savings from not producing in quantity. It may very well cost similar to 4.7" but with lower profit per device.
 
vistokid said:
Fine point.

I have never understood why the iPad costs less than the iPhone... other than Apple can get away with charging more because of demand.
Click to expand...

Not to say a phone is a necessity, but it kind of is. Your phone goes everywhere with you and is a tool most people feel they need. An iPad is more of a luxury item by comparison.

Demand is definitely a factor in price.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vistokid
vistokid said:
Maybe from your perspective on what you're willing to pay for those features, but from Apple's margin perspective it does not cost nearly that much to put those features in the 6S.

The math does not add up.
Click to expand...
It's not about that, at least it's not about it in good part. It's more about the market, supply, demand, and pricing within that.
 
Apple's pricing has been a bit wonky in this regard for a while, in my opinion.

For example, why does a 128GB 9.7" iPad Pro with cellular cost $879, but a 128GB iPhone 6S costs $849, and a 128GB iPhone 6S Plus costs $949? All components but the casing, screen, and battery are virtually identical. Seems that bigger screen and bigger battery should mean higher cost?

There is a similar discrepancy with the iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. Where they all share the same SoC (almost) but it seems the products with more expensive components are cheaper to the consumer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vistokid
Excellent point! It's clear Apple prices the iPhone higher than the rest because they simply can. Which makes the pricing for the SE all the more surprising.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Benjamin Frost
vistokid said:
I'm trying to wrap my head around what could possibly make the 6S cost almost 65% more than the SE. Does this mean the 7 will have a lower price point? I just can't see Apple dropping the price on their flagship phone.

Can't believe I'm saying this but is the SE TOO CHEAP??? 🙂
Click to expand...

Well, the SE has the better design, better size, and better compromise of features. Therefore, it has the better price.
 
Manufacturing costs play a role as well..... The SE is nearly identical to the 5s. As such it is likely that the SE shares many parts in common with the 5s like power button ribbon cables, etc... Parts that have been in production for 3+ years. Every new iPhone redesign requires a assembly line revamp and every s model has to pay for more powerful tech. The SE has neither of these things to worry about so it can cost less while still maintaining large profit margins that Apple loves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bhayes444 and willmtaylor
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back