iPhone 6 Price May Top $800: Will Apple Delay Launch Beyond September 9?
The iPhone 6 price is rumored to be the priciest Apple phone yet. The annual hype about Apple’s annual new phone unveiling is once again awash with speculation about not only the price, but the screen size and release date of the newest addition to the iPhone family.
To confuse Apple fans further, The Huffington Post reports that the iPhone 6 launch, said to be slated for September 9, may be delayed due to production issues. However, reports of delays seem to be the norm every year, leaving one to wonder if that’s yet another way Apple keeps their fans on the edge about their much talked about annual gadget release.
What will get people talking is the rumored price of the iPhone 6. Several months ago, Huffington Post stated that Apple was negotiating with carriers to increase the price of the new phone by $100 compared to last year’s 5s. More recently, Tech Radar speculated that Apple may charge more than $800 for the new iPhone for those who purchase it without a contract.
TMZ claims to have photos of an iPhone 6 — because why wouldn't they? http://t.co/axzdC6UvbK pic.twitter.com/L0KQkU3Zv9
— Mashable (@mashable) August 15, 2014
If the price rumors are true, that would make the price of the non-contracted iPhone 6 $150 more than last year’s $649 contract-less 5S. For buyers who choose a contract, a price point of $299 is the current buzz, up from last year’s $199.
Why the big price jump? Perhaps the increase in the size of the iPhone 6 is a factor. While still a rumor, the new phone is said to be coming out in two sizes, 4.7 and 5.5 inches, a jump up from the current 4 inch screen. If Apple does present buyers with a thinner, bigger phone that requires a larger battery, consumers can expect the price to go up. At the very least, the 5.5 inch phone could be the priciest iPhone of all time.
Another factor that could drive the price up is a change from Gorilla glass to a sapphire crystal screen. The Wall Street Journal reports that using sapphire will cost Apple $16 per phone to manufacture, up from the $3 per phone it cost to use Gorilla glass.
Sapphire crystal is currently used to cover the iPhone 5S camera and fingerprint sensor, so it sounds like a natural transition for Apple to cover the entire screen with material that is reportedly stronger and more scratch resistant.
Before panic sets in and Apple fans start mortgaging their houses to pay for the new iPhone 6, ZD Net states that at least one of the two new iPhone 6 models will not see a price increase, with the 4.7 inch 32GB model likely to be priced at an affordable $199 with contract.
For now, it’s wait and see for those who want to get their hands on the new iPhone 6. The yearly press conference is still slated for September 9, so if all goes as planned, the hype will end on that day and the rush to get the latest Apple product will begin.
