The iPhone 15 Ultra will cost A LOT more to manufacture than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, so expect BIG price increases…
If the iPhone 15 Ultra is actually even a thing which, at this stage of the game is anybody’s guess, it might just represent the biggest shake up to Apple’s iPhone lineup since the launch of the iPhone 6.
But unlike the iPhone 6, the iPhone 15 Ultra won’t be divisive because of its design or any physical changes Apple makes to its design; rather, it will be controversial because of its price.
How Much Will iPhone 15 Ultra Cost?
According to leaked information via LeaksApplePro, the new iPhone 15 Ultra model will cost “considerably more” to manufacture than Apple’s current flagship models, the Pro and Pro Max.
How much does this mean? Could the iPhone 15 Ultra be the first $1999.99 iPhone model? Given the statement above, it seems obvious. And it is always rather alarming when you combine the words “Considerable”, “Apple”, and “Cost” in the same sentence.
The next logical question is why will the iPhone 15 Ultra cost more to make? As of right now, the leaks about the phone are pretty thin on the ground but we do know a couple of things about the iPhone 15 Ultra (even if they’re very far from being official).
iPhone 15 Ultra Features
- There has been talk of the iPhone 15 Ultra using a solid-state buttons, so no more physical buttons for volume up/down;
- Other sources claim it will be the first iPhone to support 8K video recording;
- Another source states Apple wants to make the iPhone 15 Ultra’s camera a proper DSLR killer with a slew of sensor and component updates;
- And, finally, it will also likely be the first iPhone to ship with a titanium chassis and USB C
That’s what we know so far, and most of it is complete speculation. As for why the iPhone 15 Ultra will cost more to make than Apple’s existing Pro and Pro Max models, it’ll likely come down to the R&D costs associated with the phone’s new features.
If Apple has a slew of new features planned for the iPhone 15 Ultra, although I imagine most of them will be camera and video-related, it means it will have been investing heavily in new camera tech for the past 18 months or so (the average time it takes to develop a new phone).
And these investments (AKA costs) will have to passed onto you, the consumer, through a price increase. The only issue I have right now with the iPhone 15 Ultra is how Apple can possibly make it all that different from its Pro Max models.
The current iPhone 14 Pro Max is a beast across the board. The iPhone 13 Pro Max was much the same. With respect to raw performance and overall features and hardware, there’s not much else Apple could squeeze in to make it even more premium which is why I believe Apple has something truly unique planned for the Ultra.
Hell, it might even be Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
You never know, right? I mean, why else would cost SO MUCH MORE to produce? If Apple is implementing a brand new design, especially one that folds, this would go a long way to explain why the iPhone 15 Ultra costs so much more to make.
Beyond design changes and camera updates, like, proper significant camera updates, I’m kind of at a loss as to how Apple could make this phone a truly Ultra smartphone, especially when the Pro Max model is already so damn good.
Here’s everything else you need to know about Apple’s iPhone 15 range for 2023…
