The 2019 iPhone models are reportedly not going to cost more than their 2018 equivalents, with some configurations actually going for slightly less. If true, this will break a multi-year trend in ever-increasing prices for iOS handset prices.
Update: Apple just took the wraps off the iPhone 11, which will cost $50 less than the iPhone XR. But all configurations of the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will cost just the same as the iPhone XS and XS Max.
iPhone 11 prices break a trend
Apple’s top-tier handsets have always been expensive, but prices shot up even more in recent years. The iPhone 7 Plus debuted at $769 in 2016. The iPhone X came in at $999 in 2017. And then last year the iPhone XS Max launched at $100 more than that. In short, the price for the top-of-the-line iOS handset increased 43% in only two years.
An image supposedly from a Taiwanese telecom’s pre-launch briefing apparently shows the prices for all Apple’s 2019 handsets.
The replacement for Apple’s top-selling iPhone XR is expected to be called the iPhone 11, and it will cost $749 for the 64GB base model, $799 for a version with 128GB of storage, and $899 for one with 256GB of capacity. That’s exactly what the XR costs for each capacity.
The situation is noticeably better for the iPhone 11 Pro, the rumored name for the iPhone XS replacement. It will supposedly start at $999 with 128GB of storage, which is the same price but twice as much capacity as the XS. And a 256GB version will be $1099, which is $50 down from the XS’s price. In addition, a 512GB configuration will allegedly be priced at $1199, which is $150 less than the XS version with the same capacity.
A similar situation holds true for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, the XS Max successor. It will reportedly have the same $1099 price for the base version, but will have 128GB of storage, up from 64GB. A $1199/256GB configuration will cost $50 less, and the $1299/512GB version will be $150 less than the iPhone XS Max with the same capacity.
The image from the Taiwanese telecom briefing says the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max will debut on September 20.
Analysts concur
While the images supposedly coming out of Asia could be faked, industry analysts at Wedbush don’t predict a price rise for these new models.
A note sent to investors this morning says “Expected price points look to be $749 for the base iPhone, $999 for the iPhone 11 Pro, and $1,099 for the iPhone Pro Max.”
Sources: Slashleaks and Wedbush
