iPhone 14 Pro price hike is looking increasingly likely
Amid the menagerie of rumors and leaks surrounding this year’s upcoming iPhone 14 series, no development has been more controversial than the potential of a price hike.
It shouldn’t be too surprising that even Apple isn’t immune to the current global economic pressures; driven by factors such as the recent pandemic and rising energy costs. Supply chain issues have affected many manufacturers and the resulting rising costs are now being passed on to customers.
Rumors of the entire iPhone 14 line getting a price hike go back a few months at this stage, and though numerous sources have gone back and forth on whether all of Apple’s upcoming phones will be affected (or if only a few will) , a new leak has been posted on South Korean online platform naver (opens in new tab) (through PhoneArena (opens in new tab)) claims that “Apple (has) decided to freeze the launch price of the iPhone 14 base model through a decision at the highest management level.”
The user who shared this latest tidbit – lanzuk – though unverified, has a history of commenting on releases from other major brands, including Samsung and Asus, demonstrating a degree of insider knowledge in their posts. As such, this last suggestion is not without merit.
If that’s true, the base iPhone 14 will hit the market at the same starting price as the current iPhone 13, at $799 – which would likely mean a price of £779 / AU$1,349 elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are expected to cost $100 (about £80 / AU$140) more than their 2021 respective predecessors, resulting in a base price of $1,099 and $1,199 respectively. Based on current Apple prices, it would likely work out at around £1,049 / AU$1,869 for the iPhone 14 Pro and £1,149 / AU$2,019 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Analysis: added value up and down
Even if the iPhone 14 series gets collectively more expensive than the 2021 iPhone line (which appears to be the way things are going), Apple’s decision to freeze the price of the base model would help boost sales across the board anyway. also.
From a psychological point of view, the contrast effect generated by this new, larger price difference means that those uninterested in facts like the stock model’s use of Apple’s older A15 Bionic chipset still feel like they’re getting a worthwhile upgrade, despite the relatively minor changes the base iPhone 14 looks like it will offer over last year’s iPhone 13.
Meanwhile, those with the cash to splash on a Pro model are aware of the tech advantages they hold over the vanilla iPhone 14 – such as the expected use of a new A16 Bionic chipset and a new front camera cutout. rather than a notch – will feel justified in their decision to cough up this revised higher price point, as it reflects the promise of superior hardware and performance to an even greater degree than previous generations.
There’s little doubt that the iPhone 14 will make its way into our list of the best iPhones, but the iPhone 14 Pro (and/or the 14 Pro Max) seems to have potential as some of the best phones on the market, when they come out. arrive in the fall, even with their inflated price tags.