With the iPhone 6 rumor mill currently going into hyperdrive, we’ve still yet to get our hands on anything official regarding Apple’s upcoming smartphone.
While we have it on good authority that it will feature 4.7-inch display, and that it will almost certainly run on iOS 8 right out of the box, the pricing of the device still remains a mystery. Let’s break down what we know so far.
PREVIOUS iPHONE PRICES
Previously, new iPhones have cost the same as the previous models. If the iPhone 6 is to have the same price plan as the iPhone 5s, then this would mean that it would be sold sim-free for $649 with 16GB, $749 with 32GB and $849 with 64GB. Price plans for the iPhone 5s see it being sold for $199 with 16GB, $299 with 32GB and $399 with 64GB. If Apple retains this business model for the iPhone 6, then these are the prices the device will be retailing for.
LARGER SCREEN, LARGER PRICE?
However, if the iPhone 6 is to boast a larger screen as has been widely reported, then this could lead to a considerable price hike. Pacific Crest analyst Andy Hargreaves even went so far as to say Apple could bump up the price by a whopping $100.“Apple customers are relatively insensitive to price”, Hargreaves said, adding: “A higher price is not likely to dissuade potential iPhone 6 consumers who are attracted to the device’s features.”
DIFFERENT SIZES WILL MEAN DIFFERENT PRICES
Apple has said that it is planning two different screen sizes for the iPhone 6, but it has not been confirmed whether or not the rumored 4.7-inch screen will be the smaller or bigger of the two. On one hand, Apple could offer the 4.7-inch screen model for its customers who prefer smaller displays (of which there are plenty) and aren’t too happy with Apple going in the direction of Samsung’s Galaxy series with a large screen. On the other hand, Apple could run with a 5.5-inch screen alongside the 4.7-inch, making this the model that will cost the bigger bucks.
So what conclusion can we settle on with this information? Well, we’d put our money on Apple releasing both a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch model of the iPhone 6, with the larger device commanding the higher price point. If Apple is going to head in the direction of the market, then it’s going to want a bigger screen to be in the hands of all iPhone users. Having the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 as the “basic” model of the smartphone ensures that this is the case, and then it can charge an extra $100 to those who want their iPhone supersized.
