A new report from a prominent tipster suggests that the rumored iPhone 15 Ultra could sport an exorbitant price tag. Expected to be launched next year, the iPhone 15 lineup will be an upgrade over the iPhone 14 series that was launched in September. While the next-gen lineup is also expected to have four models like this year, Apple is rumored to ditch the top-end 'Pro Max' model in favor of an 'Ultra' variant with additional features over and above the three other models in the series.
The change will also bring a naming parity between the iPhone lineup and the Apple Watch lineup, which now has a new 'Ultra' model designed for outdoor enthusiasts and extreme athletes. Details about the iPhone 15 Ultra are scarce, but like all iPhone models next year, it is expected to sport a USB-C port instead of Lightning. In fact, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra are rumored to ship with ultra-fast Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the base iPhone 15 models will have standard USB-C ports. Online rumors also suggest that the iPhone 15 Ultra could come with dual selfie cameras.
The iPhone 15 Ultra could cost $1,199-$1,299 for the base model, making it the most expensive iPhone ever. The report comes from prolific tipster LeaksApplePro (via HowToiSolve), who claimed that the iPhone 15 Ultra will cost around $90 more to manufacture than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. According to a recent report in Nikkei Asia, the iPhone 14 Pro Max costs $501 to manufacture, up more than $60 from that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
The iPhone 15 Ultra May Not Exactly Be Affordable
While the rumored price tag for the iPhone 15 Ultra may be disappointing for some people, it may not deter many die-hard Apple aficionados who have been buying the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models by the drove. While the iPhone 14 Pro starts at $999 for the base 128GB model, the base iPhone 14 Pro Max with 128GB of internal storage costs $1,099. The most expensive iPhone in Apple's portfolio currently is the iPhone 14 Pro Max 1TB, which costs $1,599 a pop.
In terms of what to expect from the iPhone 15 Ultra, it is rumored to come with a titanium frame and could have the same glass-sandwich design as the current-gen models. It is also said to come with 256GB of storage as standard, which will be one more upgrade over the current-gen models that start at 128GB. Apple is also rumored to include the Dynamic Island in all iPhone 15 models, meaning the Ultra will also likely get the feature. Overall, the iPhone 15 Ultra promises to be a great addition to the iPhone 15 lineup, but it remains to be seen whether Apple will price it reasonably enough for mainstream consumers.
Source: HowToiSolve, Nikkei Asia