Gerry Palmers Tech 08.11.2022 01:Aug AM EDT

Will the iPhone 14 Cost More Than the iPhone 13? Apple Analyst Thinks So

A renowned Apple analyst has forecasted that the upcoming next version of the iPhone, the iPhone 14, which is set for release in the fall, will be more expensive than the current iPhone 13 model.

A 15% Price Increase on All iPhone 14 Models, Compared to iPhone 13

Analyst Min-chi Kuo expects the average selling price (ASP) of the iPhone 14 may increase by 15 percent compared to the current prices of the entire lineup of the iPhone 13.

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Hon Hai/Foxconn is one of the winners of the increased ASP of iPhone 14 series. I estimated iPhone 14 series ASP would increase by about 15% (vs. iPhone 13 series ASP) to $1,000-1,050 (USD) due to two iPhone 14 Pro's price hikes & higher shipment proportion. https://t.co/UgiW0kom4F
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) August 10, 2022

Currently, the standard iPhone 13 model costs $799 (with carrier discounts), the Pro and Pro Max models, meanwhile, have prices pegged at $999 and $1,099, respectively. Kuo did not make price predictions for individual Apple devices, but he forecasts the ASP of the iPhone 14 lineup (Pro models included) could go around $1,000 to $1,050. Kuo said the ASP rise was due to a potentially more expensive iPhone Pro and Pro Max, and a "higher shipment proportion."

Other analysts and leakers have also predicted pricier iPhone 14 models when they come out possibly in October. Wedbush Securities analyst Dave Ives said the iPhone 14 could cost $100 more than the iPhone 13 due to price increases affecting the global supply chain. Korean leaker Lanzuk, meanwhile, said the price of the standard iPhone will not increase, and only the Pro and Pro Max will have higher prices.

While the standard iPhone 14 is ruored to have an enhanced 48-megapixel rear-facing camera and an auto-focus selfie camera, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models are expected to carry most of the upgrades. The Pro and Pro Max are rumored to be ditching the notch that has the front-facing camera and will instead have a pill-shaped hole-punch cutout, and will be equipped with the new A16 chip, and have an always-on display support.

Taiwan-China Tensions May Delay iPhone 14 Rollout

In a related development, growing tensions between China and Taiwan are expected to cause a strain between Apple's suppliers, causing a delay in the rollout of the iPhone 14. This is because two important Apple partners - chip maker TSMC and iPhone assembler Pegatron are on the opposing sides of the conflict. As Beijing imposes a rule prohibiting products that bear "Taiwan" or "Republic of China" in the mainland, Pegatron could be forced to return the TSMC chips for re-labeling, thus delaying the production of the iPhone 14.

Because of this, Kuo said sources have revealed that a number of the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 units will be shipped out of a Foxconn facility in India, which will result in a hugely diversified production process. But Apple isn't abandoning its Taiwanese partners. It only requests them to ditch the "Taiwan" and "Republic of China" labels on the parts they send to China.

This development comes at the worst possible time since the iPhone 14 launch is nearing and rumors are swirling about some quality production issues with the displays and the camera lenses on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.