The Californian manufacturer would reserve most of the novelties for the most expensive range, further distancing its characteristics from the classic range.
Like every year, the best-selling smartphone in the world is an iPhone. And once again, it is the “classic” iPhone: the iPhone 13 (909 euros) thus dominates the market in the first quarter of 2022, according to figures from the firm IDC, just ahead of the most expensive model, the iPhone 13 Pro Max (1,259 euros).
In the coming months, the brand wants to reverse the trend, reports analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the specialists best informed about Apple’s strategy, in a recent blog post.
The Pro version, soon to be the best-selling?
According to information from Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s goal would be to make the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max more popular than the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max (a new benchmark that should be offered for that customers who do not wish to buy the Pro version can take advantage of a larger screen).
In the second part of 2021, the two most expensive models (iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max) represented 40 to 50% of sales. At the end of 2022, Apple would like their successors (iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max) to represent 55 to 60% of sales. The two classic models would thus oscillate between 40 and 45% of sales.
For the company, this development would rhyme with an increase in the average price of the iPhone, and potentially its profits. In order to encourage customers to be seduced by these more expensive models, Apple would have made several strategic choices to further differentiate the classic version from the Pro version.
Power, photography, design
As Ming-Chi Kuo explains, the difference between the models will be in three main areas. First of all in terms of power, with a new processor (A16) which will be reserved for the two “Pro” models. For the first time, Apple would therefore not make all of its new iPhones benefit from its most recent chip. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max would thus integrate the A15 processor, which equips the iPhones released in 2021.
The difference would also be made in photos, with a significantly more efficient main camera module in the “Pro”. Apple could abandon its 12 megapixel sensor to switch to 48 megapixels. A figure related to the definition of the image which says nothing about its quality, but which is relevant for those who wish to print their photos in large format. The more expensive iPhones would also be able to shoot in 8K, while the iPhone 14 would still shoot in 4K.
These two elements are in addition to another recurring rumor: the abandonment of the black notch at the top of the screen of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. It would be swapped for a more discreet black bubble, which would house the camera dedicated to selfies, as well as the Face ID sensor, dedicated to facial recognition.
If we already know the very likely marketing period for the new iPhones (end of September or beginning of October 2022), there are still many uncertainties regarding the prices charged by Apple. At 909 euros for the iPhone 13 and 1,159 euros for the iPhone 13 Pro, 250 euros separate the two products. Despite its desire to push the Pro range, the company could be tempted to inflate this gap a little, with on arrival a potential record price for the iPhone 14 Pro Maxthe most expensive model.
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