Apple iPhone 14 series: Why you should be ready to pay more for 2022 iPhones – Times of India

One of the most-anticipated smartphone launches is just around the corner. On September 7, Apple will unveil its 2022 iPhones at an event and there’s already a lot of buzz around it. Will Apple make any significant changes to the design? How good will the cameras be? These are some of the questions swirling around. However, as always, it’s the price of the iPhone that will dominate the headlines. Will Apple make it more expensive than before? We take a stab at pre-empting what Apple may do with the prices of the iPhone 14.
Apple didn’t increase the price of iPhones last year
With the iPhone 13 series, Apple bumped up the storage capacity of the base variant of its flagship device. The base variant of the iPhone 13 series offered 128GB and surprisingly Apple did not hike the price compared to the iPhone 12. So an iPhone 12 with 64GB was launched at the same price (Rs 79,900) as the iPhone 13 with 128GB. While it is unlikely that the iPhone 14’s storage option for the base variant will increase, we can expect the price to hike for a few reasons.
Inflation, the value of the rupee and more
Things that were — or rather felt cheaper — now cost more. Almost everything has become expensive, so why not the iPhone, right? Smartphone makers all around the world have been facing pressures due to inflation, and global economic conditions. Some have passed it on to the consumers, some haven’t. Apple may end up doing the former. Also, the rupee has been taking a few blows against the US dollar, so that might be another reason why the iPhone 14 may end up costing a bit more than what you expect.
Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has already suggested that the iPhone 14 will cost more. Kuo noted that Foxconn — one of Apple’s biggest supply chain partners — has raised its full-year performance to “growing” from “roughly flat”. In a tweet, Kuo said that the “estimated iPhone 14 series ASP would increase by about 15% (vs. iPhone 13 series ASP) to $1,000-1,050 (USD).”
Does a better iPhone mean an expensive iPhone?
Apple is expected — at least for the Pro models — to significantly improve the cameras of the iPhone. There are also rumours that the notch on the display will be reduced and Apple will go for a new design on the front. In addition to this, there will be more than a few tweaks here and there. So with new features and better cameras, there’s a possibility that the iPhone 14 series will cost more.
There’s a chance that if Apple — rumours are rife about it — decides to go ahead with the same processor as last year for the non-Pro variants then those models may not cost more. However, the Pro variants in all likelihood may end up costing more than the iPhone 13 series.