[Rumor] Apple iPhone 15 Ultra May See A Big Price Hike

Shortly after the release of the iPhone 14, more and more rumors about the iPhone 15 have been reported that Apple is preparing to change the name of its flagship iPhone.

Allegedly, the "iPhone 15 Ultra" will be the successor to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. As the name suggests, the Ultra is said to offer some exclusive features compared to the iPhone 15 Pro.

If these rumors are confirmed, the entry price of the iPhone 15 Ultra will be higher than the current iPhone 14 Pro Max, and these exclusive features will certainly add to the bill of materials and increase the Ultra's R&D manufacturing costs.

iPhone 15 Ultra will cost substantially more to manufacture than iPhone 14 Pro Max

— LeaksApplePro (@LeaksApplePro) November 10, 2022

The leaker who brought these news is LeaksApplePro, who has released a ton of accurate iPhone leaks over the past few years. He didn't provide specifics beyond the aforementioned tweet, so we haven't yet learned what the big increase means. But given all the rumors so far, this claim makes sense.

Some reports suggest that the iPhone 15 Ultra may have a titanium case, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra. It is also said that the iPhone 15 Ultra will be the only iPhone 15 model with a periscope lens camera.

The phone is also likely to feature dual selfie cameras on the front. In addition, Apple may increase the memory of the iPhone 15 Pro, and the Ultra will also get a further memory capacity boost.

Such a feature would increase the manufacturing cost of Apple's iPhone 15 Ultra compared to the iPhone 15 Pro. And Apple may have to pass those costs on to consumers as the company needs to maintain the iPhone's customarily high profit margins.

Considering the global economy and Apple's decision to keep the iPhone 13 prices the same for the iPhone 14 lineup, you get more reasons why Apple might want to raise the average cost of an iPhone next year.

According to Nikkei, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will cost $501 to manufacture, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max will cost $461. However, both models start at $1,099 in the US. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are selling incredibly well, and demand is still outstripping supply.

Because of these expensive iPhone sales, Apple makes more money on a single product. The analysis forecasts that similar success with the iPhone 15 Pro and Ultra will further boost the average price of the iPhone.