Apple’s Tim Cook told investors that the rising cost of iPhones isn’t an issue, and that people are willing to “stretch” in order to buy the best.
“I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category,” Cook said on an earnings call over the weekend, when asked if the iPhone’s rising average sales price was sustainable.
Cook called the iPhone “integral” to people’s lives, pointing out they use it to “make payments, control smart-home appliances, manage their health and store banking data.”
This has lead to speculation the company is planning to launch a higher-tier iPhone this year, under the Ultra banner.
As Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman pointed out, Apple already uses Ultra branding for its Apple Watch and the M1 processor, and was rumoured to be changing the name of last year’s Pro Max to ‘Ultra’.
Rather than change the name, Apple are rumoured to add a higher-tier than the Pro and the Pro Max.
Recent generations have seen the top-end iPhones move further ahead of the base models, which have seen rather muted updates.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is rumoured to include a periscope lens, a feature that may jump to the Ultra – if this is the road Apple chooses to go down.
Gurman also suggests an iPhone Fold could be on the cards, but is unlikely to come this year, with the company instead focused on larger foldables in the realms of the iPad.
