Comments from Apple suggest we might see an iPhone Ultra, but it might not land until next year.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is already one of the most expensive smartphones available, but it sounds like Apple is laying the groundwork to release something even pricier, based on fresh comments from the company’s CEO, Tim Cook.
Bloomberg (opens in new tab) reports that, in Apple’s Q1 2023 earnings call, Cook was asked whether the rising average sales prices of iPhones was sustainable, to which he replied “I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category,” adding that iPhones had become “integral” to people’s lives.
Cook didn’t specifically say whether prices will continue to rise, but that comment certainly suggests that he thinks customers could be persuaded to pay ever more for the company’s prized smartphones.
It’s a surprisingly confident statement, especially in the current financial climate. Even in a healthier economy, the idea of people needing to “really stretch” their budget to afford a smartphone seems sub-optimal and even distasteful. So it will be interesting to see how this pans out.
But then people do love iPhones, and there may well still be relatively affordable options, like the iPhone SE (2022) and even the base iPhone 14.
