iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to launch this September, with a new line-up of iPhones alongside it. But a worrying rumor from Barclays analyst Tim Long claims that information obtained through supply companies in Asia reports that the phone will increase in price to $1,299, while the iPhone 15 Pro is jumping up to $1,099.
The iPhone Pro Max series has maintained its price point for years, with this line of phones remaining at $1,099 since it was introduced with the iPhone XS Max. This means nothing has changed since 2018, with the iPhone 15 Pro remaining at $999 since 2019, but we might be in for a rude awakening in September. Increasing the price from $1,099 to $1,299 is enormous, but several rumors paint these new Pro models as being worth the bump — here's why.
Why iPhone 15 Pro might be more expensive
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are looking to receive enormous upgrades from previous generation. With the iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular, the widely rumored periscope lens is finally coming to the model. This means that the Pro Max could zoom up to 6x optically, while base iPhone models can only perform a 3x zoom. This rumor has been circulating since last year, so we expect it's inevitable.
Both the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are also rumored to sport a titanium frame, whereas previous models were made of stainless steel. Titanium can not only mean the exterior will be sturdier, but also lighter. This same rumor suggests that both phones will jump from 6GB of RAM to 8GB. Haptic buttons were part of this rumor as well, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests it will not see the light of day on iPhone 15 Pro models.
Alongside all of this, Apple is rumored to upgrade the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max to a A17 Bionic chip with 3nm architecture. This could mean these phones will receive the most impressive boost in performance we've seen in years, and will likely solidify the models as the zippiest smartphones available. They could also use up to 35% less power according to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company chairman Mark Liu, which means far longer battery life.
There's also the rumor that iPhone models will now swap to USB-C from the company's long-beloved Lightning connector, but we expect that will reflect every iPhone. Since the base iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are not rumored to see a price increase, we don't expect that will have much of an impact on price.
If this price hike rumor is to be believed, it's evident why these new features stacking up on top of one another could result in far more expensive hardware. This is probably the most exciting iPhone upgrade in years if most of these reports are true, and (reportedly) Apple seems to believe it's worth $1,299 for a new Pro Max.
