[RUMOR] Apple's iPhone 14 Might Come With an Extremely Hefty Price Tag, But by How Much?

Errol Villorente, Tech Times 02 July 2022, 03:07 pm

Information on the iPhone 14 lineup has been reported revealing quite a drastic change, and the talk is not about the phones' designs. An unusual increase in prices is expected of the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max with $1099 and $1199 price tags, respectively. Both are $100 more expensive than their iPhone 13 counterparts.

Apple 14 Rumored To Launch With a Hefty Price Tag

Meanwhile, Apple has also decided to put an even higher increase of up to $300 for iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 13 Mini replacements. Expected to launch with an $899 price tag, the iPhone 14 Max may have a significantly wider screen than its predecessor. This would be the first time ever for Apple to launch iPhones at higher prices than those that came before them. Only the iPhone 14 is set to retain the iPhone 13 $799 price point.

Just this week, iPhone 13 prices in Japan increased by nearly 20%. A price hike in Apple products mid-cycle is unexpected and, therefore, could actually prepare the public for the potential upcoming increases, especially in a country such as Japan, where these hikes come as a shock.

Though known leaker LeaksApplePro reveals a "complete redesign" of the iPhone 14, the details show that the lineup is said to have minor design changes on its bezels and corners and an i-shaped cut design for its Pro models. None of these end up making the phones significantly different from that of the iPhone 13 line. With the iPhone 14 line looking as such, a lower-priced iPhone 13 might still be a viable option for the market, making the iPhone 14 a challenging sell. However, it is well known that Apple's product strategies and feature upgrades, such as chipsets, cameras, and displays, are often effective and inviting. Loyal iPhone users still have a lot to look forward to, even amidst a global economic decline.

What's Ahead of the iPhone 14 Line?

Understandably, the news on the iPhone 14 line price hike seemed to have been making more noise recently than the iPad leak revealing a potential split release of the iPhone 15 lineup with its Pro models upgrading from lightning to USB-C, likely in response to a landmark EU agreement requiring this for all smartphones. As always, Apple's moves are worth watching out for and many of its loyal users, including professionals, remain keen on what's in store.

According to the rumors, the iPhone 14 Pro will likely attract a lot of eyeballs very soon. The camera will definitely be the line's most significant update, with Apple eventually ditching the 12MP sensor in favor of a bigger 48MP image sensor. As with high-resolution Android flagships, a bigger sensor should aid with increased detail and low-light photography.

The screen also reveals a lot of significant adjustments. The controversial notch will be replaced with a pill and hole to house the front camera and Face ID sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro variants. The display is believed to feature an LTPO 2.0 OLED panel, which might assist lower the refresh rate to as low as 1Hz. This might assist Apple in bringing an Always On Display feature to the iPhone for the first time, which could always show the new iOS 16 style lock screen widgets.