Amidst the menagerie of rumors and leaks surrounding this 12 months’s forthcoming iPhone 14 sequence, no improvement has been extra controversial than the potential of a worth hike.

It should not be too stunning that even Apple is not resistant to present international financial pressures; pushed by components just like the current pandemic and hovering vitality prices. Provide chain points have affected quite a few producers and the resultant rising prices at the moment are being handed onto clients.

Speak of the complete iPhone 14 line receiving a worth hike dates again a number of months at this stage and whereas quite a few sources have gone forwards and backwards on whether or not all of Apple’s upcoming telephones can be affected (or whether or not just some will), a brand new leak posted on South Korean on-line platform Naver (opens in new tab) (through PhoneArena (opens in new tab)) claims that “Apple (has) determined to freeze the launch worth of the iPhone 14 base mannequin via a call on the prime govt stage.”

The consumer who shared this newest tidbit – lanzuk – though unverified, has a historical past of commenting on releases from different huge manufacturers, together with Samsung and Asus, demonstrating a point of insider data of their posts. As such, this newest suggestion is not with out benefit.

If true, the bottom iPhone 14 will hit the market on the similar beginning worth as the present iPhone 13, at $799 – which might probably imply a worth of £779 / AU$1,349 elsewhere.

In the meantime, the iPhone 14 Professional and iPhone 14 Professional Max are anticipated to value $100 (roughly £80 / AU$140) greater than their respective 2021 predecessors, which might end in a base worth of $1,099 and $1,199 respectively. Primarily based on present Apple pricing that may probably quantity to round £1,049 / AU$1,869 for the iPhone 14 Professional, and £1,149 / AU$2,019 for the iPhone 14 Professional Max.

Evaluation: added worth up and down

Even when the iPhone 14 sequence does collectively wind up pricier than 2021’s iPhone line (which seems to be the best way issues are going), Apple’s determination to freeze the value of the bottom mannequin ought to assist drive gross sales throughout the board, regardless.

From a psychological standpoint, the distinction impact generated by this new, larger pricing disparity means those that aren’t curious about details like the usual mannequin’s use of Apple’s older A15 Bionic chipset will nonetheless really feel like they’re getting a worthwhile improve, regardless of the comparatively minor adjustments the bottom iPhone 14 seems as if it will provide over final 12 months’s iPhone 13.

In the meantime, these with the money to splash on a Professional mannequin, conscious of the technical benefits they lord over the vanilla iPhone 14 – just like the anticipated use of a brand new A16 Bionic chipset and a brand new entrance digital camera cut-out rather than a notch – will really feel justified of their determination to cough up for this revised increased pricing, because it displays the promise of superior {hardware} and efficiency to an excellent larger extent than with earlier generations.

There’s little doubt that the iPhone 14 will make its manner into our listing of the very best iPhones, nonetheless, the iPhone 14 Professional (and / or the 14 Professional Max) look to have potential as a few of the finest telephones available on the market outright, after they arrive within the fall, even with their inflated worth tags.