Apple may be planning to increase the price of the iPhone 15 Pro series
Apple is set to usher in the latest iteration of the iPhone 15 series this autumn, featuring not only novel functions and a few anticipatory changes but perhaps most notably, the introduction of a USB-C port. This marks a departure from the Lightning port that has served faithfully for a decade, a shift that has engendered considerable anticipation among many users. In order to distinguish its flagship devices such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max from others in its lineup, Apple plans to imbue it with a wealth of unique design elements, thereby justifying a higher price point.
According to reports by LeaksApplePro, both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro models will witness a price increase of $100. The former is projected to retail starting at $1199, while the latter is slated to begin at $1099. As such, those looking to upgrade to these premium models this year may find themselves digging a bit deeper into their pockets.
Recent whispers suggest that Apple intends to phase out the 128GB storage option, rendering 256GB as the minimal storage capacity for both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro. This decision may serve as one of the rationales for the elevated prices. Considering the inflationary pressures that have plagued the global economy of late, Apple’s price hike seems all the more inevitable.
In fact, previous reports have suggested that Apple’s choice to equip both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro with the new A17 Bionic chip, manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process, is expected to result in a 20% increase in production costs. While the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 models are to be equipped with the current A16 Bionic chip, their production costs are still expected to increase by 12%. If Apple cannot feasibly reduce the production cost at scale, it may be compelled to increase the prices across the iPhone 15 series in order to maintain profit margins.
At present, it seems Apple has no corresponding measures to control costs, and there is a high likelihood that these increased expenses will ultimately be passed on to the consumer.
