iPhone 14 Pro base storage will start at 256GB, TrendForce says

Apple will unveil the iPhone 14 series next week, and the only mystery left at this point concerns the base storage on the iPhone 14 Pro models. Some reports claim the cheapest iPhone 14 Pro models start at 256GB of flash memory, while others say 128GB will still be the base memory option for all four units.

The most recent report on the matter comes from market research firm TrendForce, which released its latest analysis of the smartphone business. The firm still thinks the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will have at least 256GB of storage onboard. The report contradicts earlier rumors from Korea that addressed iPhone 14 storage tiers.

The iPhone 14 specs leak from Korea covered various iPhone 14 details. One of the claims concerned flash storage, saying that Apple’s iPhone 14 models will all start at 128GB, just like last year’s iPhones. The same report said that there won’t be a 2TB iPhone 14 Pro.

We’ve already explained that bumping the base memory on the iPhone 14 Pro is the easiest trick for Apple to justify the rumored price hike. Most reports agree that the iPhone 14 Pro variants will be $100 more expensive than their predecessors.

There’s precedent for a storage upgrade. The iPhone 12 Pros were the first to start at 128GB. Then Apple used the same base storage tier for the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 last year.

Also, let’s remember that the iPhone 14 Pro models will feature a 48-megapixel primary camera. That means photos and videos might have larger file sizes than before. A storage bump could go hand-in-hand with the camera upgrade.

That assumes Apple is willing to pass up this revenue stream. As we’ve explained, iPhone storage is a lucrative business for Apple. Whether buyers choose more local storage or purchase iCloud storage, Apple still wins.

With that in mind, TrendForce is sticking to its previous claims that the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will start at 256GB. Here’s what its latest report says:

Looking to the third quarter, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are among four new models to be upgraded to the A16 (TSMC 4nm) processor. Upgrades such as initial starting memory capacity increasing to LPDDR5 6GB and 256GB, primary camera moving up to 48 million, Face ID Design changes, etc., are expected to raise starting prices. However, under pressure from rising global inflation and foreign exchange rates, Apple is expected to adopt a more cautious pricing strategy so as not to affect its sales performance.

TrendForce also offered the price estimates seen in the table below, which are slightly more conservative than expected. That is, iPhone 14 pricing might start at $749 instead of $799. Meanwhile, the 256GB iPhone 14 Pro might start at $1,049 instead of $1,099.

That said, we’re still looking at speculation. Whether it’s TrendForce or Korean bloggers, this isn’t official information. Thankfully, Apple will answer all our questions next week when it streams the iPhone 14 launch event online.

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