Update 12/11 is below. This post was originally published on December 8
iPhone 15 leaks have already surfaced Apple’s ambitious plans for new generation smartphones. But now new information says these ambitions come at a heavy price.
working with How to solveone of the influential industry LeaksApplePro It has released a truckload of new iPhone 15 information, including price hikes that will shock US buyers.
Flat-edged iPhone 15 Ultra concept based on leaks
Last month, the leak revealed that the materials list for the iPhone 15 Ultra, the new name for Apple’s ‘Pro Max’ models, Up to $100 increase. Now LeaksApplePro states that the starting price of the iPhone 15 Ultra will go up to $1299; That’s a $200 increase over the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the biggest single-generation leap in iPhone history.
“There will be a more expensive iPhone. Even in the United States,” explains the leak. “Apple is losing margins every year. Rising production costs and inflation that made the company’s money in the bank worthless finally broke his back.”
“We don’t know the status of other devices in the lineup,” says LeaksApplePro. However, with a starting price of $1299 that sees the iPhone 15 Ultra potentially go as high as $1799 for the 1TB model, this is likely to have a knock-on effect on the rest of the range as Apple doesn’t like it to be a cliffhanger. between products in the same series
Apple iPhone 15 Ultra builds on latest rumors about curved edges
On the other hand, the iPhone 15 Ultra will give you more bang for your buck. LeaksApplePro states that the iPhone 15 Ultra will ship with a minimum of 256GB (twice the current 128GB entry point), easing some of the price increase pain.
In addition, the leaker reiterates that the new model will come with smartphones. dual front camera, USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) It will replace the Lightning port with USB 2.0 speeds (480Mbps/0.48Gbps) and will be “made of titanium” — something that comes with it significant power and price increases.
Update 12/10: Speaking to me, LeaksApplePro provided more information about Apple’s use of titanium in the iPhone 15 series. Following a recent leak from ShrimpApplePro within the popular industry that Apple will bring titanium to all iPhone 15 modelsnot just the iPhone 15 Ultra, LeaksApplePro says this is categorically wrong.
“This is not true,” says LeaksApplePro, saying it will be “Ultra only (maybe 15 Pro but definitely not 15 and 15 Plus)”.
Given the cost of titanium, this makes sense. Since it’s 3-4 times stronger than the stainless steel used in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, some might argue that this lowers the price, as less is needed to make a case that is just as strong if not stronger.
The problem with this argument is that titanium is currently priced. $35-50 per kilo, compared to $1-1.50 per kilogram for stainless steel. That’s a tremendous difference and definitely puts it out of reach for standard iPhones.
So, to me the question becomes more about whether Apple will complicate its supply chain with three different case materials (aluminum for the standard models, stainless steel for the iPhone 15 Pro, and titanium for the iPhone 15 Ultra) or stick to two materials. . This probably means upgrading to stainless steel for the standard models, as downgrading the iPhone 15 Pro is unlikely.
Update 12/11: LeaksApplePro is back today with additional information.
First, an insider answered my question about Apple’s choice of case materials. Interestingly, the answer is that Apple currently plans to use all three: aluminum for the two standard iPhone 15 models, stainless steel for the iPhone 15 Pro, and titanium for the Ultra.
LeaksApplePro adds the “this is what we know” warning. That’s fair given how early the iPhone 15 series’ development cycle is, but it’s interesting to see the company add this complexity to its supply chain.
Second, LeaksApplePro states that the repeatedly leaked dual front cameras are likely exclusive to an iPhone 15 Ultra.
I suspect this is likely to come down to physical size, not just in terms of cost. Dynamic Island already takes up significant space on the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro screen. Adding a second camera leaves almost no room for other icons that most users deem essential (time, cellular/WiFi signal, notifications, etc.).
By comparison, the second camera is considered a luxury add-on. In contrast, a 6.5-inch iPhone 15 Ultra can house the camera and still retain the same number of icons as an iPhone 15 Pro. It’s not yet clear whether Apple will make the screen bigger to match the Ultra name and its super-large Android rivals.
And finally, there’s a fascinating note: “Apple is considering only one color for the iPhone 15 Ultra, and it’s the same color as the Apple Watch Ultra. [silver]. I don’t know if this is the only color available in September or if there will be more, but as of today, none of my sources have seen a color other than the same color as the Apple Watch Ultra.”
Yes, the iPhone 15 Ultra looks set to push iPhone prices higher than ever before, but it also looks like the most exciting and ambitious smartphone Apple has released in years.
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