iPhone 15 Pro Models to Carry $100+ Premium, Pro Max May Be Delayed 3–4 Weeks

A new report from DigiTimes claims that Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, which will debut this September, will carry a $100 to $200 price hike over the Cupertino firm’s current iPhone 14 Pro lineup.

Pricing for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $999 and $1,099, respectively. This means that DigiTimes expects that iPhone 15 Pro pricing could start in the $1,099 to $1,199 range, while iPhone 15 Pro Max may see an increase in price to somewhere between $1,199 and $1,299.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard reports that Apple could increase the price of some of its iPhone 15 lineup. Earlier this year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that Apple was “considering” a price increase for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.

Industry analyst Jeff Pu has also said that he expects to see the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max be priced higher than the current Pro iPhone lineup. Pu predicted that the iPhone 15 Pro could start at $1,099, which is $100 more expensive than the price of the iPhone 14 Pro.

While Gurman hasn’t offered any specific reasons why Apple may be considering a price increase, Pu has pointed to new features and costly hardware upgrades such as the rumored periscope lens system. That’s one of several things that could drive a possible price hike. Much like everything else in today’s economy, the price of iPhone components is also on the rise in general, and this year’s iPhone 15 Pro models are also expected to pack in larger batteries, increased storage capacities, a haptic action button, and thinner bezels with a new titanium frame.

Any possible price increase could affect sales of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max this year, with some analysts expecting sales to fall to around 77 million handsets for the new models in 2023. Initially, observers expected shipments to come in at around 83 million units. Some of that drop in shipments will likely result from an expected more than five percent year-on-year decline in overall smartphone shipments.

In related news, 9to5Mac reports that shipping of the iPhone 15 Pro Max may be delayed until sometime in October due to issues in manufacturing issues with manufacturing the high-end iPhone’s camera image sensor.

The report cites a source with a major equity analyst note that claims camera parts provider Sony will be unable to supply the image sensor used in the rear-facing camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max in time for it to be shipped alongside the other new iPhone 15 models.

Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max is widely expected to boast a huge camera upgrade, thanks to a periscope lens system that will provide an improved optical zoom over the current iPhone’s 3X telephoto lens. The iPhone 15 Pro is not expected to receive a similar update. Meanwhile, the lower-cost iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will not receive a telephoto upgrade but will offer ultra-wide and wide cameras, possibly with a 48-megapixel (48MP) sensor similar to the one introduced in last year’s iPhone 14 Pro lineup.

The iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max are all expected to be unveiled alongside the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 during an Apple event on Tuesday, September 12. Apple is likely to begin accepting pre-orders on Friday, September 15, with units hitting shelves following on Friday, September 22. However, the delay expected by the analyst note could mean that iPhone 15 Pro Max deliveries won’t begin until somewhere around early to mid-October.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]