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iPhone 12 might be more expensive than we thought

Published Jul 9th, 2020 6:50AM EDT
iPhone 12 Price
Image: YouTube

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  • A new iPhone 12 price estimate will not please fans, considering what previous rumors claimed.
  • The cheapest iPhone 12 might cost $749, which is $100 more than the previous estimate, and $50 more than the base iPhone 11.
  • The iPhone 12 will offer several upgrades over last year’s generation, including 5G support, OLED displays across the board, and double the storage. However, the iPhone 12 is rumored to ship without a charger and earphones.

Apple is widely expected to launch four iPhone 12 versions this year, which will come in three sizes: 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch. All the phones will feature 5G connectivity, OLED displays, and storage will start at 128GB, according to various rumors. The handsets are also expected to ship without free chargers and earphones in the box, which would be another first for the iPhone. Pricing will start at $649 for the 5.4-inch iPhone, said a leaker a few weeks ago. That would make it $50 cheaper than the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 that features only 4G connectivity, an LCD screen, and 64GB of storage. The iPhone 11 does ship with a charger and EarPods in the box.

A new rumor now claims the most affordable iPhone 12 will actually be more expensive than expected, even if it’ll ship without a charger and complimentary earphones. If this report is accurate, the iPhone 12 will be more costly than its predecessor.

Jon Prosser made a name for himself with a large variety of Apple leaks in the past few months. He accurately predicted Apple’s various moves in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, and he offered iPhone SE launch details well before Apple announced the handset (see screenshots below). A few weeks ago, he released plenty of information about the iPhone 12 series, including the main specs of the phones, the storage tiers, and corresponding prices.

iPhone 12
Purported iPhone 12 specs and pricing structure. Image source: YouTube

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max would start at $649 and $749, respectively, according to the leak. The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be significantly more expensive, starting at $999 and $1,099, respectively.

iPhone 12
Purported iPhone 12 specs and pricing structure. Image source: YouTube

An analyst now suggests the prices aren’t accurate. Jeff Pu released a new note to investors seen by MacRumors that says iPhone 12 pricing will start at $749 for the 5.4-inch model.

This would make the phone $50 more expensive than the iPhone 11, and $100 more expensive than Prosser’s leaked price tag.

Pu says the $50 increase over the base iPhone 11 model can be explained by the addition of 5G and OLED to all iPhone 12 models. The analyst says the price increase would be “accepted by consumers,” and not affect demand. He also acknowledged that Apple’s decision to remove the charger and EarPods from the iPhone 12 box will generate controversy.

If the $749 estimate for the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 is accurate, then the other new iPhones could also be more expensive. The 6.1-inch iPhone 12 could cost $799 or $849, estimates MacRumors. It’s harder to predict the price of the 6.1-inch iPhone 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. The current Pro and Pro Max are priced at $999 and $1,099, which have been traditional price points for the premium iPhones since the iPhone X arrived three years ago.

A $749 iPhone 12 would still be cheaper than many of its Android counterparts this year, including the Galaxy S20, Note 20, OnePlus 8, and several other flagships. The Pixel 5 could be cheaper, starting at $699, but Google’s phone won’t be a real premium phone.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.