Will The iPhone 13 Series Cost The Same As iPhone 12?
Apple’s iPhone 13 series might arrive priced relatively the same as the iPhone 12 family of smartphones, but how likely is that to happen?
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Annual smartphone upgrade cycles and price bumps typically go hand in hand, but Apple might pull a surprise in 2021 with the debut of the iPhone 13 series. Apple is heavily rumored to make a few key changes with its upcoming lineup, the most notable one being an upgrade to 120Hz OLED screens. The notch at the top will likely be smaller on the upcoming Apple phones, while the wide-angle camera is likely getting an upgrade as well. However, the design is said to remain mostly unchanged from the iPhone 12.
Rumors tend to suggest that the iPhone 13 will be a minor upgrade over the iPhone 12, possibly even leading to the debut of the ‘iPhone 12s’ branding during the fall season. However, that does beg the question of what premium will Apple charge for the iPhone 13 series? To recall, the vanilla iPhone 12 hit the shelves at $799, while the iPhone 12 mini was attached to a $699 price tag for the base model. The iPhone 12 Pro, on the other hand, starts at $999, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max sets the barrier even higher at $1,099.
TrendForce predicts that the iPhone 13 series’ retail price is expected to remain on par with that of the iPhone 12 family. If that turns out to be correct, the iPhone 13 mini might be up for grabs at a starting price of around $700, while the Pro models will retain the thousand dollar entry-point for those interested in Apple’s latest and greatest. If the price is going to be the same, should users expect the same phone overall?
Will iPhone 13 Really Cost The Same As 12?
TrendForce notes that the iPhone 13 upgrades are unlikely to include anything major. The A15 Bionic powering the iPhone 13 is based on the same 5nm process as the A14 Bionic inside the iPhone 12 series. This matches other recent reports that have suggested a chip based on the next-gen fabrication process, 3nm, will reportedly happen in 2022. Plus, storage options might be the same this year too. The report adds that it is a strategic move by Apple as buyers might feel apprehensive about spending more money on a new phone that can’t really justify the price bump over its predecessor. TrendForce also notes that Apple will offset the rising cost of components with revenue coming from the sale of peripherals. Apple is claimed to be adopting a proactive pricing strategy with the iPhone 13, as the company aims to protect its market share within the premium segment.
The latter sounds reasonable on paper, but Apple might not have to worry much about that so much. The company has actually managed to boost the shipment figures in the past few quarters despite the increase in price for its new phones. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook recently revealed that the standard iPhone 12 was the most popular model in its lineup, and the same was evident in Apple’s revenue figures as well. In addition, the rumored upgrades are not all minor (as TrendForce suggests), or even proportionate across the entire iPhone 13 family. For example, the main wide-angle lens on the iPhone 13 Pro Max might rock an improved f/1.5 lens. Moreover, the iPhone 12 Pro Max-exclusive Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization tech is reportedly coming to the entire iPhone 13 series, and Apple is also said to have made some battery improvements as well. Of course, it would be a welcomed change to see Apple launching new phones without a price jump, but that might be unlikely to happen, especially for the Pro models that are expected to feature a pricier 120Hz LTPO OLED panel.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/apple-iphone-13-series-rumored-prices-cost-iphone-12-upgrades/