Apple's Most Expensive iPhone Model For 2023 May Cost $1299

Apple's next-gen iPhone — the iPhone 15 series— may still be nearly a year away from launch, but that hasn't prevented analysts and leakers from speculating about the changes that Apple could make to these devices. One change that is more or less confirmed with the iPhone 15 lineup is the device switching to the USB-C standard for wired connectivity. This change, however, is the result of the recently passed European Union mandate that forces all device manufacturers to switch to USB-C before the end of 2024. As a result, Apple — which opposed the mandate tooth and nail — had no option but to comply or risk losing access to the lucrative EU market.

Another speculated change to the iPhone 15 lineup included the likelihood of it going completely buttonless. This change could involve modifying the existing physical power and volume rocker buttons to a solid-state button that uses haptic feedback. In addition, there has also been talk about the "pill-and-hole" camera cutout making it to the lower-priced iPhone models (Via 9to5Mac). This cutout — along with the Dynamic Island feature — is currently only available for the Pro iPhone models.

While we expect a steady stream of iPhone 15-related leaks in the months leading to its launch, the newest leak in town may be a tad disappointing for iPhone fans. According to noted Apple-focused leaker LeaksApplePro, Apple could jack the prices of next year's top-end iPhone significantly.

In his recent article published on HowToiSolve, LeaksApplePro makes several claims surrounding the pricing of next year's top iPhone model. The first thing he revealed was the likelihood that Apple would call the device the iPhone 15 Ultra — and drop the "Pro Max" tag. He claims that Apple will continue with the iPhone 15 Pro model. Interestingly, this is not the first time someone has speculated about Apple's name-change strategy for 2023. Noted analyst Mark Gurman had already speculated this change a few months ago.

What is new in the claim by LeaksApplePro is the likelihood of Apple increasing the base price of the most expensive iPhone model for 2023. Currently, the price of an unlocked iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $1099. The leaker expects this number to go up by $200 next year, resulting in the iPhone 15 Ultra retailing for $1299.

In addition to the probable pricing, he speculated that the Ultra iteration of the iPhone 15 could feature dual front-facing cameras and that the phone could only be offered in a single color option. The increased price tag also translates to more storage, with the base variant of the phone offering 256GB of storage. He also talks about the likelihood of the device being made out of titanium, which could also make the device a lot lighter than the current Pro Max models.

While these are unconfirmed speculations, there is some merit to the claims made by LeaksApplePro, given that Apple hasn't played around with the prices of the iPhones since the iPhone X launched way back in 2017.