Update 08/05 below. This post was originally published on August 03
Apple leaks have consistently agreed on one thing: iPhone 14 models are getting more expensive. That is, until now.
In a new blog post, anonymous leaker Lanzuk has revealed that Apple has “decided to freeze the launch price of the base model iPhone 14 through a decision at the highest executive level.” And given Lanzuk’s solid track record, there’s plenty of reason to believe so.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max concept showing the expected higher price of $1199
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Lanzuk explains that Apple’s decision was based on “the stagnation of the global mobile phone market and the decrease in demand … so the price of the basic model is frozen despite some price-increasing factors” .
Detailed by other leaks, these factors include rising component prices due to shortages and Apple updating several key elements of the iPhone 14 lineup. Most notably, an all-new front-facing camera module from LG Innotek, which claims which is three times the price of its predecessor.
Lanzuk is no doubt aware of the shock and possible disbelief his news will generate and stresses that his information comes from a rock-solid source within a “major American financial institution.” In addition, Lanzuk has a track record that deserves respect. While the insider has had the occasional leak, there have been a number of accurate leaks for both Apple and Samsung devices over the past year.
Update 05/08: More information about the iPhone 14 launch has leaked, and it’s good news. Influential and knowledgeable industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple has successfully expanded production of the upcoming base model in India ahead of launch.
“Foxconn’s iPhone production site in India to ship new 6.1″ iPhone 14 almost simultaneously with China for the first time in 2H22 (India was a quarter or more behind in the past)” , Kuo explained. “In the short term, India’s iPhone capabilities/shipments still have a considerable gap with China, but it is an important milestone for Apple in building an iPhone production site not Chinese.”
My contacts believe this strategy will pay off immediately, with Apple able to supply a substantial stock of the iPhone 14 for its September launch. This is in stark contrast to the current supply chain issues facing the iPhone 14 Max. While Kuo expects the new 6.7-inch model to launch alongside the rest of the range, Ross Young, managing director of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), warned that “shipments of iPhone 14 Max panels [are] still well overdue until August.”
So if you’re planning to buy Apple’s most affordable big-screen iPhone yet, I suspect you’ll need to move fast when they go on sale.
The Apple iPhone 14 lineup is based on multiple leaks
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If correct, Lanzuk’s claim would mean the iPhone 14 retains its $799 asking price (rather than jumping to $899), which also raises hopes that the new iPhone 14 Max will also have a price $100 down to $899. These prices make sense, given Apple’s determination to widen the feature and performance gap on the iPhone 14 Pro models, which are still expected to go up in price:
- iPhone 14 Pro: $1099 (iPhone 13 Pro $999)
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1199 (iPhone 13 Pro Max $1099)
Also, I’d say Lanzuk’s claim still equates to an effective $100 price increase across the range. That’s because the $799 iPhone 14 will replace the $699 iPhone 13 Mini as the entry-level model, and the $899 iPhone 14 Max will replace the $799 iPhone 13. Given their respective increases in screen size, these increases are also easier. for Apple to market to customers.
Will the iPhone 14 lineup be worth it? The design, camera, and performance upgrades to the Pro models certainly look like it, but with a possible transition from Lightning to USB-C in 2023, I’d still urge caution if you don’t have to upgrade this year.
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