We are still waiting for Apple’s invites for the September iPhone event to go out, which is expected sometime in the first half of the month.
Until the official unveiling happens, there’s still time for iPhone 8 rumors. The price of the premium OLED iPhone has been the subject of much debate, and now The New York Times has chimed in. It reports that the iPhone 8 will be priced ‘around $999’ …
Apple will introduce three new iPhone models next month; iterative updates to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and a radically-redesigned near bezel-less ‘iPhone 8’ featuring a 5.8-inch OLED display.
Whilst the ‘7s’ devices are expected to be positioned at the usual price points, the OLED iPhone is widely reported to be significantly more expensive. Exactly how much more is still unclear: reports vary with quoted prices from $1100 to $1500, although consensus is generally in excess of $1000.
The report from The New York Times that the company is considering a price around $999 indicates the phone will come in slightly cheaper than most expect. ‘Around $999’ is fuzzy language but a starting price of dead-on $999 is very plausible.
For $999, expect to get an iPhone 8 with 64 GB storage — the new base storage capacity for the 2017 iPhone lineup. Apple will then offer a 256 GB upgrade (and maybe a 512 GB model) if you want to spend more; the company typically charges $100 more for every storage increment.
Right now, the most expensive iPhone you can buy costs $969 in the US: the iPhone 7 Plus in 256 GB size. If the $999 price for the 64 GB iPhone 8 is correct, the 256 GB mid-tier model would likely come in at $1100. This represents a $130 price increase year-over-year.
The base model would come at a $230 premium compared to the 7 Plus, although customers would bet getting double the storage (64 GB vs 32 GB) at that tier.
For the money, The New York Times reiterates previous reports that position inductive charging, face recognition and new bezel-less screen design as flagship headline features. The OLED iPhone screen will stretch almost edge to edge, with a small notch at the top of the display to accommodate the earpiece, camera and 3D front-facing sensors.
