If you thought the iPhone 14 Pro Max was high-end, you ain't seen nothing yet. Apple is reportedly working on a top-of-the-range model that would sit above the Pro Max, called simply iPhone Ultra. And it could arrive as soon as next year.
That's according to Mark Gurman, who has a pretty good track record of accurate Apple predictions. Gurman previously predicted that Apple would change the name of the Pro Max to Ultra this year, but that didn't come to pass. Instead, it seems the firm wants to launch an even higher-specced iPhone.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently hinted that a higher-end iPhone could be in the works. "The iPhone has become so integral into people’s lives", he said on an earnings call to investors last week. "I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category."
In other words, Cook thinks people are willing to pay even more for an iPhone. He was responding to a question on whether the rising price of iPhones was sustainable. In 2017, the highest-end iPhone (the iPhone X with 256GB of storage) cost £1149 / $1149 / AU$1829, while today, the top model (the 1TB iPhone 14 Pro Max) will set you back £1749 / $1600 / AU$2769.
So what could Apple offer in a new range-topper? There have been no leaks yet, but Gurman thinks it could include camera improvements, a more powerful processor, a bigger screen and a port-less design for exclusively wireless charging.
The iPhone 14 range marked the first time Apple gave the Pro models a new processor, as well as the new Dynamic Island feature, putting more ground between them and the non-Pro models. If Apple wants to make clear distinctions between its iPhone variants, a new Ultra model would make sense. So could the base-level iPhone come down in price as a result? Don't bet on it...
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