We’re expecting a wide range of upgrades for this year’s iPhone refresh, including a 48MP camera, notchless-design, and a new size, but there’s one thing we might not be too excited to see: the price.
For the past several years, the iPhone lineup has remained essentially the same. There’s an entry level model that starts at $699, a Pro model that starts at $999, and a Max model that starts at $1,099. It’s been that way since the iPhone 11 and we expected the iPhone 14 to follow suit, even with some nice rumored upgrades for the Pro models.
That might not be the case. According to LeaksApplePro, Apple is planning a price hike for the iPhone 14 lineup pretty much across the board. With the removal of the iPhone 12 mini, the cheapest iPhone will now start at $799 and it only goes up from there:
- iPhone 14: $799
- iPhone 14 Max: $899
- iPhone 14 Pro: $1,099
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1,199
LeaksApplePro blames the price hike on increased production costs and the need to have a wide enough gap between the 14 Max and the 14 Pro. Apple has traditionally separated the iPhone and iPhone Pro lines by at least $200.
This pricing lineup would mark the first time since the iPhone X that Apple hasn’t offered an iPhone that costs $999. It also means the iPhone 14 Pro Max could top $1,999 for the first time if the rumors of a 2TB storage option come to fruition.
Apple is already taking a gamble with the iPhone 14 Pro, which is expected to get an exclusive design, chip, and camera. But it remains to be seen if iPhone buyers will be willing to fork over an extra $100 for the privilege.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.