iPhone 12 Price: New Apple Smartphone Could Cost More Than Predecessor

An analyst claims that Apple's upcoming iPhone 12 series lineup will sell for higher prices compared to its predecessor.

In a research note, GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu claimed that Apple's upcoming flagship smartphone lineup will be more expensive compared to the current series, MacRumors reported. The analyst's claim comes amid reports of the new iPhone 12 series having affordable models that are cheaper than the iPhone 11.

Pu said the lowest specced model in the new lineup, the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, will be sold starting at $749. This is $50 more expensive than the base iPhone 11, which sells for $699.

The analyst said this prediction is based on the new handsets' components, including technologies allowing support for 5G networks as well as the use of OLED display panels on all models. For reference, the base iPhone 11 only has an LCD screen.

Pu said he expects the public to be accepting of the price increase. The analyst added that despite the addition of at least $50 in the price tag, the demand for the new devices will not be affected and will remain the same.

Contradiction

The GF Securities analyst's claims contradict earlier reports from Frontpage Tech's Jon Prosser, who claimed that the new iPhone lineup will be cheaper than the current flagships.

As per Prosser, the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, which will have an OLED display and 5G support, will be sold starting at $649 for the base model with 128GB of storage. A 256GB model will then sell for $749.

If Pu's prediction is correct, then it's possible that the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 will sell starting at $799 or $849, MacRumors speculated. This is still higher than the price that Prosser predicted for the same model: $749 for the 128GB model and $849 for the 256GB variant.

Pu's prediction also comes amid increasingly frequent reports of the iPhone 12 series models shipping without a charging brick and wired EarPods in the box. Controversies and complaints can be expected to surface if both the analyst's claims and the reports about these accessories are accurate.