Apple discontinued the 128-gigabyte model for the 15 Pro Max and set the minimum price at $1,199, a $100 uptick. As it took the wraps off the new iPhone 15 range at an event in September, Apple emphasized that the new entry point did not represent a price hike as the 2022 version of the Pro Max with the same amount of memory cost the same.
Despite the doubling of NAND flash memory, the cost remained pretty much the same. Apple has apparently balanced its rising camera and semiconductor costs against falling memory prices.
With prices of daily necessities and various services rising globally, analysts were surprised that Apple maintained the U.S. prices for its latest iPhones, except for the top-of-the-line model.
The pricing decisions seem to suggest that Apple’s management is cautious about price increases that might impact sales.
However, if Apple continues to forgo passing on increased costs to consumers, the company’s bottom line will eventually take a hit. Fomalhaut CEO [Minatake] Kashio says Apple might try to raise prices next year with models other than the Pro Max.