The consensus seems to be that we can expect the price of the iPhone 14 to be higher than the iPhone 13, but a new report today suggests that the increase could be lower than expected.
There are quite a few reasons to expect Apple to increase the starting price of this year’s lineup, from new features to higher component costs…
iPhone 14 price increase expected
First, and most obviously, the non-Pro models change from a Mini and Standard model to a Standard and Max model.
For the first time, those who prefer a larger phone but don’t need the extra features of an iPhone Pro can opt for a 6.7-inch screen size without being forced to buy the most expensive model. A larger device will of course cost more to make, especially the screen, and we can expect Apple to look for decent margins on what will certainly be a popular model.
On the Pro side, we expect some significant camera improvements. The sensor is reportedly boosted from 12 MP to 48 MP. It’s likely Apple will give us 48MP images in bright daylight, and in low light use smart scaling to create a 12MP image with less noise. We also expect to see 8K video footage. This may seem like an exaggeration, but just as many videographers shoot in 4K to give them digital zoom and pan capabilities when outputting to 1080p, 8K would offer the same options for 4K output – or even more flexibility if they still allow for 1080p output. to go .
There have been suggestions that Apple could lose the 128GB base storage this year and increase the starting point to 256GB. In addition, a sketchy report claims that all models will get 6 GB of RAM.
There is a possibility that the iPhone 14 series will get satellite communication capabilities. While this isn’t certain, and would at least be limited to emergency use at this stage, it’s still an impressive talking point.
Then, of course, both the standard and Pro models are expected to see a very visible redesign. The standard model is expected to see the notch shrink, while the Pro is destined to get a pill + punch-hole design. This is in contrast to recent models with less visible design changes.
Finally, the cost of components has risen significantly and Apple is happy to protect its margins.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects price increases and the popularity of the iPhone 14 Max to see an average sales price increase of 15% this year.
There are no solid reports on actual pricing plans, but it has been suggested that while the base model would remain $799, the Max could cost $899, and both Pro models get a $100 increase. If these predictions were correct, that would start with prices of:
- iPhone 14: $799
- iPhone 14 Max: $899
- iPhone 14 Pro: $1099
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1199
But the increase may be smaller than expected
However, market intelligence firm TrendForce says it expects Apple to be safe with smaller increases in the face of a tough economy and a shrinking smartphone market.
Upgrades such as initial memory capacity increased to LPDDR5 6GB and 256GB, primary camera moved to 48 million, Face ID Design changes, etc. are expected to increase starting prices. However, under pressure from rising global inflation and exchange rates, Apple is expected to adopt a more cautious pricing strategy so as not to impact sales performance.
The company is therefore forecasting more modest price increases for the iPhone 14, with starting prices of:
- iPhone 14: $749
- iPhone 14 Max: $849
- iPhone 14 Pro: $1049
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1149
Our own price poll tends to support the idea that Apple would like to be cautious in setting prices for this year. Nearly half of you rejected a $100 raise and said it was absolutely not worth it, or you would wait.
What are your thoughts? Do you think Apple will go for a $100 price hike for the iPhone 14, or is TrendForce right to expect a more modest $50 increase? Let us know in the comments.
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