A new research report from TrendForce claims that Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro will start at $999. If accurate, this is welcome news given the influx of rumors that claim Apple was contemplating a $100-$200 price bump for the entry-level Pro model. While some analysts were anticipating a price increase due to a next-gen processor and more advanced camera components, TrendForce writes that these enhancements will likely be “offset by cost reductions in other components.”
As for other features, Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro will ship with an A17 processor, a 48-megapixel primary camera sensor, 128GB of entry-level storage, smaller bezels, and a titanium-aluminum frame. The latter should help reduce the overall weight of the iPhone. This is certainly welcome, given that the iPhone Pro has become a bit hefty in recent years.
Of course, a big design change coming to the iPhone 15 Pro is the introduction of a USB-C connector. Note that this is happening to all iPhone 15 models across the board. The Lightning connector was undoubtedly great and served its role dutifully for years. Apple, though, was forced to make the switch due to forces beyond its control. Recall the recent EU ruling that holds that all smartphones sold after 2024 must ship with USB-C. Apple initially tried to fight back against the requirement, but its complaints fell on deaf ears.
Apple might have eventually made the switch on its own. But still, the company isn’t a fan of being told what to do.
As Apple noted at the time: “We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world.”
iPhone 15 Pro Max Pricing
Moving along, TrendForce notes that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will receive a $100 price increase. Specifically, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will start at $1,199 for 128GB of storage. A 256GB model will sell for $1299, a 512GB model for $1499, and a 1TB model for $1699.
The reason for the alleged iPhone 15 Pro Max price increase, in contrast to the iPhone 15 Pro, can be traced back to its advanced periscope camera system.
Overall, TrendForce predicts a stable pricing landscape for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, and iPhone 15 Pro, largely mirroring last year’s figures. The Pro Max, however, is a different story. Equipped with an exclusive high-cost periscope lens, it’s expected to command a premium—likely a bump of up to US$100—to reflect its increased production costs. Should this price adjustment materialize, it would mark the first such move since the era of the iPhone X.
A periscope lens will certainly take iPhone photography to the next level. For example, it will likely enable the iPhone 15 Pro Max to take photos with 5-6x optical zoom. Interestingly, rumor has it that the periscope lens technology will not make its way to the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024. Instead, it will be exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The good news is that additional details will become clear in just a few days. Apple’s annual iPhone special event is slated to kick off on September 12 at 10:00 in the morning, Pacific Time.
