One of the trends in flagship smartphones in recent years is that their prices tend to increase by about a hundred dollars or pounds when a new generation is released.
Whether you see this as cynical profiteering by big brands or simply a reflection of rising raw material and production costs, it can hurt when a phone you may have been eagerly waiting for comes at a higher price than expected. We saw this with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
And one cannot help but speculate whether or not there will be a price increase for the iPhone 16 family, as it is the turn of this year’s new iPhones after the launch of the Google Pixel 9.
Based on the rumors so far, we expect the iPhone 16’s price to largely follow the rhythm of the iPhone 15 family across the entire rumored lineup, the prices of which you can see below.
| Model | US price | UK Price | AU Price |
| iPhone15 | $799 | 799 € | 1,499 € |
| iPhone 15 Plus | $899 | 899 € | 1,649 € |
| iPhone 15 Pro | 999 US dollars | 999 € | 1,849 € |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | $1,199 | 1.199€ | 2,199 € |
These expectations are based on the fact that I’ve been writing about Apple devices for years and have developed a feel for pricing trends, especially with iPhones. The competition among the best Android phones is pretty fierce this year, which means I don’t think Apple wants to offer a line of flagship phones that are dramatically more expensive than key rivals from companies like Samsung, namely the Samsung Galaxy S24 range.
Normally, I would expect a price increase due to expected major upgrades that would justify Apple charging more for its phones, especially the Pro models. But looking at the rumored iPhone 16 specs and the iPhone 16’s predicted cameras, we don’t expect any major upgrades to the iPhone 16. Sure, some Pro features like the Action button might trickle down to the standard and Plus models, but I doubt these changes would be considered so major that Apple would use them as an excuse to increase the prices of these phones.
Furthermore, there is no indication that the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will get a 120Hz display; they will likely stick at 60Hz, and I believe it will be difficult for Apple to charge more for these phones without what I consider to be a much-needed upgrade.
Since the iPhone 16 will surely get the smarter Siri and other nice features with iOS 18, as well as some potential Apple Intelligence tools, there is an opportunity for Apple to use AI as a reason to increase the price of its iPhones. But reportedly charging $20 a month for Apple Intelligence, I assume the folks in Cupertino view AI software as a separate service rather than something built into iPhones.
In short, I’m not predicting a price increase for the iPhone 16. And I’m also pretty convinced that with the launch of these next-gen phones, the price of the iPhone 15 will come down. That means you should wait until around mid-September to buy a new iPhone. If you absolutely need a new phone, be sure to check out our iPhone deals page.
Further recommendations
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: Latest news, rumors and everything we know so far
- iOS 18: new features, expected release date and everything we know
- Best iPhone: Which Apple smartphone is the best?
