New report claims OLED 'iPhone 8' will start at $999, not higher $1200 price point

AppleInsider

A new report detailing why people stick with the iPhone has little in the way of new details about the "iPhone 8" -- but claims that the phone will cost $999, according to unspecified sources familiar with the situation.

On Thursday, the New York Times published the rundown, discussing Apple's rumored new iPhone. The single new piece of data in the report about the "iPhone 8" claims that the device will be priced "at around $999" according to people briefed on the matter, not authorized to speak on behalf of Apple.

The provenance of the source of the data for the price is not known, nor is it clear how new the information gleaned by the New York Times actually is. Other speculation and estimates from the supply chain predict that the "iPhone 8" may cost up to $1200 at launch.

At present, a 256GB Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus retails for $969. The 6.3-inch Galaxy Note 8 was announced on Wednesday, and retails for $930 with 64GB of storage.

The "iPhone 8" is rumored to feature an edge-to-edge OLED panel with a 5.1-inch user space with the remainder dedicated to virtual buttons. Also expected is a new 3D facial scanner, possibly supplanting Touch ID.

Soli

"Starting at $999" isn't the same as "may cost up to $1200." Maxing out at $1200 USD (or higher) doesn't seem unreasonable for the US market, based on the rumoured of what it may contain, and considering how much time we spend with the technical marvel that is the modern app phone, I don't think the price is too high for many users.

dysamoria

This is insane. 

AI_lias

I hope they also go lower too, with an entry model with 4.7 inch, and priced lower than the Iphone SE is now. Or, in the least, same size as the iPhone SE, but even lower price. If they go one tier higher, they should also go one tier lower, to protect their market share and ecosystem, and to penetrate low cost markets like India, and China.

Soli

sog35 said:

Not a surprise.

iPhone 7s - Starts at $650 for 32 GB

iPhone 7s Plus - Starts at $769 for 32 GB

iPhone X - Starts at $979 for 64GB

You have no fucking idea what any of these of the next iPhone prices. You don't even know the goddamn names of the upcoming devices.

In a previous comments you were jumping the capacity from 256 to 512GB while only increasing the price $100, which is not what Apple has been doing with that capacity jump in the iPad. While they may decide that for an additional 256GB it should only be an extra $100 in the 2017 iPhone we have no evidence that will happen and you made no argument as to why you believe and/or wish this prices to fall that way in your foolish absolute statements.

Avieshek

If the 512GB version costs $999s then it's news. Then again, that's not the price for the rest of the world. 

78Bandit

This phone will be the mid-size model in the overall lineup.  There will almost inevitably be an iPhone 8S Plus with a 6.2" screen next year.  Comparatively this is the evolution of the iPhone 7 (just as the 6 was the evolution of the 5S with a larger screen at the same price) and is a direct competitor to the Galaxy S8.  Comparisons to the maxed out iPhone 7+ or the Galaxy Note 8 are apples-to-oranges.

iPhone 7, 32GB $649 and 128GB $749
Galaxy S8, 64GB, $725

I'd probably pay $799 for a 64GB iPhone 8 or $849 for a 128GB model.  It is newer and shinier and does carry a slightly higher bill of materials.  Apple will probably sell all of them they can make for $1,000, but I'm thinking that could easily lead to a year-over-year drop in unit sales as Apple sacrifices unit growth for short-term revenue growth.  The iPhone 7 made up 2/3 of the sales mix and the base price of the flagship iPhone has been $649 for a while now.  A $350 increase is quite a leap for the basic iPhone.  I'm hoping it is only a one-year situation driven by supply constraints and next year they have a wider release at prices closer to what the current models cost.

suddenly newton

dysamoria said:

This is insane. 

I believe this is why this is breaking news.

fallenjt

Unless this report came from Phil Schiller, I ain't give a shit. If the phone starts at $999, it should be 128GB at least because 7+S will be at $969 for 256GB...maybe they just drop the lower 32GB version and keep the top at 256GB only:
iPhone 7S+: 32/128GB/256GB at $769/$869/$969
New iPhone: 128/256GB at $999/$1099

racoleman29

Who cares? In six months it'll be cheaper anyway.

fallenjt

sog35 said:

Soli said:

sog35 said:

Not a surprise.

iPhone 7s - Starts at $650 for 32 GB

iPhone 7s Plus - Starts at $769 for 32 GB

iPhone X - Starts at $979 for 64GB

You have no fucking idea what any of these of the next iPhone prices. You don't even know the goddamn names of the upcoming devices.

In a previous comments you were jumping the capacity from 256 to 512GB while only increasing the price $100, which is not what Apple has been doing with that capacity jump in the iPad. While they may decide that for an additional 256GB it should only be an extra $100 in the 2017 iPhone we have no evidence that will happen and you made no argument as to why you believe and/or wish this prices to fall that way in your foolish absolute statements.

iPhoneX  32GB  $979,  128GB $1099, 256 GB $1199

I doubt at that price point, it'll start at 32GB...nah! I can see that they may only have 2 versions: 128 and 256GB for $999 and $1099.

fallenjt

sog35 said:

fallenjt said:

Unless this report came from Phil Schiller, I ain't give a shit. If the phone starts at $999, it should be 128GB at least because 7+S will be at $969 for 256GB...maybe they just drop the lower 32GB version and keep the top at 256GB only:
iPhone 7S+: 32/128GB/256GB at $769/$869/$969
New iPhone: 128/256GB at $999/$1099

Only $130 more for the new phone versus the 7 Plus?  I think the premium will be at least $200.

Why not? It has smaller screen but same internal specs. The difference is the OLED screen on the new phone and the form factor. $130 is reasonable for screen upgrade and form factor.

netmage

I see someone hasn't been keeping up with rumors. 

zoetmb

sog35 said:

dysamoria said:

This is insane. 

No its not.

Why would a device you use every day for hours a day be cheap?

And its not like there isn't other options if you can't afford the $1k iPhoneX. There is always the 7s

Many people want cutting edge and are willing to pay extra.

Looks like an iPhoneX 64GB will start at about $949.

A couple generations ago the 64GB iPhone 6 was $849.

But no one paid that.   They might have paid it, but it was buried in their phone service costs.   The most I've ever paid for a phone was $330.   Unless my phone bill drops  by $30-$40 a month, I'm not paying anything near $1000 for a phone and I think under my current grandfathered unlimited data deal, the price won't drop if I bring my own phone.    There are plenty of people who use a computer every day and that computer cost $400 (not a Mac, obviously).   And there are plenty of people who watch a large screen TV every day that cost $600.    So I think that people who live in the real world and who are not an executive at Apple or a Wall Street bonus baby will consider $1000 way too much to pay for a phone, especially one they don't intend to keep longer than two years at most. 

As I've written many times before, I think salaries at Apple have skewed what Apple execs think is normal for people who live in the real world.   Now if Apple wants to be a high-end niche luxury provider, that's fine.   But they can't price that way and also expect to be a provider to the mass market as well.    

wood1208

This year is an interesting for iPhone upgrade, 3 to choose from. Next year will be more interesting as iPhones 2019 would be streamlined into all OLED models with Plus frame remained same but the screen area increases like iphone 8. Users rather have larger screen area in same frame. Too large frame carries risk of easily dropping and breaking screen.

brucemc

zoetmb said:

sog35 said:

dysamoria said:

This is insane. 

No its not.

Why would a device you use every day for hours a day be cheap?

And its not like there isn't other options if you can't afford the $1k iPhoneX. There is always the 7s

Many people want cutting edge and are willing to pay extra.

Looks like an iPhoneX 64GB will start at about $949.

A couple generations ago the 64GB iPhone 6 was $849.

But no one paid that.   They might have paid it, but it was buried in their phone service costs.   The most I've ever paid for a phone was $330.   Unless my phone bill drops  by $30-$40 a month, I'm not paying anything near $1000 for a phone and I think under my current grandfathered unlimited data deal, the price won't drop if I bring my own phone.    There are plenty of people who use a computer every day and that computer cost $400 (not a Mac, obviously).   And there are plenty of people who watch a large screen TV every day that cost $600.    So I think that people who live in the real world and who are not an executive at Apple or a Wall Street bonus baby will consider $1000 way too much to pay for a phone, especially one they don't intend to keep longer than two years at most. 

As I've written many times before, I think salaries at Apple have skewed what Apple execs think is normal for people who live in the real world.   Now if Apple wants to be a high-end niche luxury provider, that's fine.   But they can't price that way and also expect to be a provider to the mass market as well.    

Of course people are paying the high prices for iPhones today - there are figures that point out that globally, something like 70% are not purchased subsidized through a carrier (which was dominant in the USA, but much less common globally last 5 years).  Those 600M+ iPhones sold over the last 3 years were majority sold unsubsidized (though might have been on payment plans).

While I think that a phone starting at $999 (or say $969 based on what I think Phil would want to set it at) is pretty expensive, others might consider the feature set worth it (you can easily get data to say that 10s of millions have purchased the 7+, which started at $769 and many opting for 128GB at $869, and some 256GB at 969, already).  It is a device that some people use almost literally 10+ hours a day, or more.  If the product has the features they want, they may consider the value worth it.

It isn't like all Apple will be selling is this higher end model.  The iPhone 7s/7s+ are rumoured to be available as updates, and then there is last years phone reduced in price most likely.

Why all the hate on Apple?  Samsung's highest end phones cost a bit above iPhones now, and they just launched the Note 8 at ~$950 in the US. Did you go on a rant on Samsung that I missed?

jcs2305

sog35 said:

dysamoria said:

This is insane. 

No its not.

Why would a device you use every day for hours a day be cheap?

And its not like there isn't other options if you can't afford the $1k iPhoneX. There is always the 7s

Many people want cutting edge and are willing to pay extra.

Looks like an iPhoneX 64GB will start at about $949.

A couple generations ago the 64GB iPhone 6 was $849.

Who said it should be cheap? Being able to afford something, and being able to justify spending a certain amount on something are two entirely different things. Obviously the OP is having a hard time justifying the price starting at $1000.00.

rogifan_new

So what’s driving the premium? Just the OLED display? Or is it the Apple Watch model where you pay a premium for different case materials used?

suddenly newton

brucemc said:

zoetmb said:

sog35 said:

dysamoria said:

This is insane. 

No its not.

Why would a device you use every day for hours a day be cheap?

And its not like there isn't other options if you can't afford the $1k iPhoneX. There is always the 7s

Many people want cutting edge and are willing to pay extra.

Looks like an iPhoneX 64GB will start at about $949.

A couple generations ago the 64GB iPhone 6 was $849.

But no one paid that.   They might have paid it, but it was buried in their phone service costs.   The most I've ever paid for a phone was $330.   Unless my phone bill drops  by $30-$40 a month, I'm not paying anything near $1000 for a phone and I think under my current grandfathered unlimited data deal, the price won't drop if I bring my own phone.    There are plenty of people who use a computer every day and that computer cost $400 (not a Mac, obviously).   And there are plenty of people who watch a large screen TV every day that cost $600.    So I think that people who live in the real world and who are not an executive at Apple or a Wall Street bonus baby will consider $1000 way too much to pay for a phone, especially one they don't intend to keep longer than two years at most. 

As I've written many times before, I think salaries at Apple have skewed what Apple execs think is normal for people who live in the real world.   Now if Apple wants to be a high-end niche luxury provider, that's fine.   But they can't price that way and also expect to be a provider to the mass market as well.    

Of course people are paying the high prices for iPhones today - there are figures that point out that globally, something like 70% are not purchased subsidized through a carrier (which was dominant in the USA, but much less common globally last 5 years).  Those 600M+ iPhones sold over the last 3 years were majority sold unsubsidized (though might have been on payment plans).

While I think that a phone starting at $999 (or say $969 based on what I think Phil would want to set it at) is pretty expensive, others might consider the feature set worth it (you can easily get data to say that 10s of millions have purchased the 7+, which started at $769 and many opting for 128GB at $869, and some 256GB at 969, already).  It is a device that some people use almost literally 10+ hours a day, or more.  If the product has the features they want, they may consider the value worth it.

It isn't like all Apple will be selling is this higher end model.  The iPhone 7s/7s+ are rumoured to be available as updates, and then there is last years phone reduced in price most likely.

Why all the hate on Apple?  Samsung's highest end phones cost a bit above iPhones now, and they just launched the Note 8 at ~$950 in the US. Did you go on a rant on Samsung that I missed?

Implying that Apple execs are out of touch for selling a high-end flagship for $999 because that person would personally never pay that much... sounds like more market research is needed.

kevin kee

So iPhone 7+ retails at $969 with 256GB.
Galaxy Note 8 retails at $930 with 64GB.

With Samsung pricing at that point, it doesn't seem overprice for Apple anymore to start their OLED version from $900+.

SpamSandwich

I fully expect there will be iPhone 7S and 7S Plus announced, with no expectation for this mythical iPhone 8. If it happens, fine.