Soon after the iPhone 14 launch, a growing number of iPhone 15 rumors claimed that Apple is readying another name change for its flagship iPhones. The “iPhone 15 Ultra” will supposedly be the successor to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. As the name implies, the Ultra will reportedly deliver a few exclusive features compared to the iPhone 15 Pro.
If these rumors pan out, the iPhone 15 Ultra will have a higher entry price than the current iPhone 14 Pro Max. Those exclusive features would certainly add to the bill of materials, increasing the Ultra’s manufacturing cost. You don’t need leaks to figure all that out.
But one leaker took to Twitter to say that the iPhone 15 Ultra will be “substantially” more expensive to manufacture than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. That could lead to a significant price increase for consumers.
The leaker in question is LeaksApplePro, who has posted plenty of accurate iPhone leaks in the past few years.
He didn’t provide specifics beyond the tweet above, so we have yet to learn what a substantial increase means. But the claim makes sense, given all the current rumors.
Some reports claim the iPhone 15 Ultra might have a titanium case, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra. Others say the iPhone 15 Ultra will be the only iPhone 15 model to feature a periscope lens camera. The handset could also have dual-selfie cameras on the front. Moreover, Apple might increase the RAM on the iPhone 15 Pro. The Ultra would also get a memory boost.
Such features would increase Apple’s manufacturing cost of the iPhone 15 Ultra compared to the iPhone 15 Pro. And Apple may have to pass on those costs to the consumer. That’s because the company has high profit margins to maintain for the iPhone.
Factor in the global economy and Apple’s decision to keep iPhone 13 prices unchanged for the iPhone 14 series, and you get additional reasons why Apple might be looking to raise the average cost of the iPhone next year.
According to Nikkei, the iPhone 14 Pro Max costs $501 to manufacture compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s $461 price. Yet both models start at $1,099 in the US.
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have sold incredibly well, and demand is still outpacing supply. That’s before you add the new COVID lockdowns in China that impacted production. As a result, Apple is making more money per unit thanks to these expensive iPhone sales.
Similar success for the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra would further increase the average iPhone price and fill up Apple’s proverbial coffers.
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