Apple’s iPhone 15 Plus could have lower price, more difference between ‘Pro’ and ‘Max’ models: Report

Apple will restructure the iPhone 15 lineup, says a leak, with the iPhone 15 Plus likely to start at a lower price. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Max will also see some changes next year.

iPhone 15 Plus could cost less than iPhone 14 Plus (Image credit: The Indian Express/ Shruti Dhapola

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

Apple is one of the few brands that only launches its smartphones once each year and still manages to clock higher sales figures than most other players. But the iPhone 14 series, and the new iPhone 14 Plus in particular, has not turned out to be the success that Apple would have hoped and the company is now re-evaluating strategies for 2023, according to a new report.

Apple is seriously re-evaluating the iPhone 15 lineup owing to underwhelming sales, especially for the iPhone 14 Plus. This year, the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus came in as a replacement for the mini iPhone, featuring a big display and a large battery. The device was positioned between the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 in terms of pricing, targeting those who wanted a baseline iPhone with a large screen and improved battery life. But it has not lived up to expectations in terms of sales.

MacRumors quotes a new report from Korean tipster yeux1122 (who posted on Naver) that has highlighted three strategies that Apple might adopt. One is that it could reduce differences between the non-Pro and Pro models, and according to the post, the base iPhone 15 version will come with the Dynamic Island that was limited to the Pro variants this time.

Story continues below this ad

Second, Apple could reduce the price of the iPhone 15 Plus variant as the iPhone 14 Plus has not performed up to expectations. The iPhone 14 Plus starts at $899 for the 6.7-inch phone, which does make it a fairly expensive buy, especially since the iPhone 14 Pro starts at just $1099.

Finally, it looks like there will be some difference between the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Max– the name could also change. The post indicates that Apple might introduce differences around the build material and the camera between these phones. Previously, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had tweeted that the company would increase differences between the Pro and non-Pro models as well as the Pro and the Max variant.

He posted, “Taking a step further, Apple will also start creating differentiation between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro. It’s the best practice via a precise product segmentation strategy to generate more sales/profits in a mature market.”

Also read: | Apple iPhone 14 Plus review: The underrated phone

It should be noted that previous reports by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman have also talked about how Apple might do away with the Pro Max nomenclature for the biggest Pro iPhone and go with the iPhone 15 Ultra title instead. Gurman had previously written that based on “Apple’s current pattern,” the iPhone 15 design will be revamped, there will be a shift to USB-C at the bottom and a new “Ultra model replacing the Pro Max.”

Story continues below this ad

In terms of hardware, the iPhone 15 is expected to get a USB Type-C port in line with European Union’s upcoming regulations and even Apple has confirmed it will comply with these rules. Faster-charging technology and the Dynamic Island display on the non-Pro models is also expected.