How Apple iPhone Ultra could become the most expensive iPhone ever launched
Apple is expected to launch a high-end, foldable 'iPhone Ultra' with a price point potentially exceeding $2,000. The increase is driven by rising memory component costs as manufacturers prioritize high-bandwidth memory for AI servers.
Why it matters
The shift in component allocation for AI infrastructure is significantly inflating consumer electronics prices and impacting global smartphone shipment volumes.
Apple opens its Surprise and Shine event at the Steve Jobs Theater on September 9, and the product the industry is actually waiting for is one the company has never sold: an iPhone that folds open like a passport. It is expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, and analyst estimates put it at a price no iPhone has approached in nearly two decades of sales. IDC projects an average selling price above $2,550, roughly Rs 2.25 lakh, with the largest storage tiers touching or crossing $3,000, about Rs 2.65 lakh.That is close to double the $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max. TrendForce expects a softer entry point of $2,099 to $2,299, or about Rs 1.85 lakh to Rs 2.03 lakh, while Citi has settled on a $2,000-plus start.
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