Apple is reportedly planning to increase the prices of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, thanks to significant hardware upgrades. The titanium chassis and periscope camera system are said to be the main reasons for the price hike.
According to a report by DigiTimes analyst Luke Lin, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will see a "major price hike" over their predecessors. This is due to the use of titanium for the chassis, which is more expensive than stainless steel. Titanium is also more durable and lightweight, making it a good choice for a high-end smartphone.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is also rumored to feature a periscope camera system, which will enable optical zoom capabilities of up to 5-6x. This is a significant upgrade over the current iPhone 14 Pro Max, which only has a 3x optical zoom lens.
The vanilla iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are not expected to see any price changes. These models will continue to use stainless steel for the chassis and will not have a periscope camera system.
If the reported price increase is accurate, the iPhone 15 Pro Max could become the most expensive iPhone model ever produced. The current most expensive iPhone is the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which starts at PKR 348,999.
The price increase of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max comes at a time when the global economy is facing challenges. Inflation is rising, and consumers are becoming more price-sensitive. However, Apple is still a premium brand, and it is likely that many consumers will be willing to pay a premium for the latest and greatest iPhone models.
The iPhone 15 series is expected to be announced in September 2023. Stay tuned for more details as the launch date approaches.