07/17 Update below. This post was originally published on July 14.
Apple leaks have revealed that iPhone 14 Pro models will receive multiple exclusive updates Y higher prices. But now, a new report claims that the standard iPhone 14 models will also receive a price increase, even though they are virtually unchanged from their predecessors.
speaking to SunDan Ives, head of popular analyst group Wedbush Securities, cites supply chain prices as the driving force behind the increase.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max Concept Shows Highest Expected Price of $1199
“We think there will be a $100 price increase for the iPhone 14,” Ives explained. “Prices have increased throughout the supply chain and Cupertino needs to pass these costs on to the consumer in this launch.”
If correct, the iPhone 14 lineup would break down as follows:
- iPhone 14 – $899 (iPhone 13 $799)
- iPhone 14 Max – $999 (iPhone 13 Mini $699)
- iPhone 14 Pro – $1099 (iPhone 13 Pro $999)
- iPhone 14 Pro Max – $1199 (iPhone 13 Pro Max $1099)
While the $100 would hurt, particularly for the standard models, which will have the same design, rear cameras and chipset as the iPhone 13, the big financial hit comes with the entry point of the range jumping from $699 to $899. The nearly 30% increase is due to Apple discontinuing the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 Mini in favor of a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max (also with the suggestion of being called the ‘iPhone 14 Plus‘), which pushes the iPhone 14 to the position of the base model.
07/16 Update: Now that the iPhone 14 range has started production, the leaks are not only accelerating, they’re adding a level of detail we haven’t seen before. Trusted anonymous leaker ShrimpApplePro, the first leaker to reveal the iPhone 14 Pro’s new dual hole-punch redesign, now has published Detailed schematics for the flagship iPhone 14 Pro Max via Weibo.
The main news is that the schematics again support the slew of leaks claiming that Apple will remove the notch, although it is expected to remain for non-Pro models. That said, at this stage, the most interesting information for me is dimensions revealing:
- iPhone 14 Pro Max – 160.71 x 78.78 x 7.85mm
- iPhone 13 Pro Max – 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65mm
While the differences are slight, they remove a popular line of thought: that Apple would use the same chassis for the iPhone 14 Pro models as its predecessors. Speculation about what those changes are will now accelerate.
My suspicion is the new 48-megapixel primary camera exclusive to Pro models will be a significant factor. But hopes that the surge is behind larger batteries seem unlikely based on a recent capacity leak. Leak season is wide open.
07/17 Update: LeakApplePro has cast doubt on Wedbush’s pricing claims. The leaker, who has regularly provided iPhone pricing data in the past, told me Apple’s push in 2022 is to widen the gap between iPhone 14 Pro and non-Pro models and pricing is one way the company will do this.
“The difference between the iPhone 14 Max and the iPhone 14 Pro is huge,” the leaker explained. “Apple is really trying to save as much money as possible with the production of the iPhone 14, so I don’t think the company plans the $100 increase that Wedbush is talking about.”
While this would be good news for buyers of standard models, LeaksApplePro warns that Apple is looking to increase iPhone 14 Pro prices by at least $100 $799, $899, $1099, $1199 are the prices that insiders believe Apple has set for the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max/Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max at present, but they are not blocked:
“Apple could definitely change these prices, but right now that’s what’s being considered,” the leaker added.
This breakdown makes a lot of sense. By removing the Mini, Apple already increases the entry price for the iPhone 14 range to $799 from $699 for the iPhone 13 line; And by using most of the same parts for the standard iPhone 14 models as for the iPhone 13, the company avoids significant new costs.
This opens the door to higher iPhone 14 Pro prices, more hardware differentiation, and more sales potential. If the leaks are correct, this will be a strategy that polarizes customers at a time of high global inflation. That said, I’m guessing there will still be queues around the block when these phones launch in late September or early October.
Such a chasm would cause a real shock. It would also be a hard sell. Historically, Apple has kept previous-generation iPhones on sale at lower prices after their successors were released. If Apple does this again, opting for a virtually identical iPhone 13 or even an iPhone 13 Mini (which could be as low as $599) would be a no-brainer.
Apple iPhone 14 range based on multiple leaks
There is a popular counterpoint in the industry. That is, Apple will keep the price of the iPhone 13 for the iPhone 14 and the lack of an iPhone 14 Mini will represent an entry-level increase of $100 instead of the $200 gap discussed here. However, this does not take into account the increase in supply chain prices, so it may be overly optimistic.
Should you upgrade? Add the hot rumor that iPhones will move Lightning to USB-C in 2023 and, for me, I think this is an upgrade year to forget about unless you desperately need it. that said based on provider bucket sizeslooks like another super cycle regardless.
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