Entry-Level OLED ‘iPhone 8’ May Be Priced Above $999: John Gruber

Daring Fireball’s John Gruber has speculated what this year’s iPhone price will be, as well as Apple’s strategy for the next-generation smartphone.

Earlier this week, there was a rumour that suggested the OLED “iPhone 8” could start at $1,500. Gruber thinks that this price is way to high and believes that a more reasonable starting price for the entry-level OLED iPhone 8 is $999.

“The prices for these iPhones need to be high enough so that tens of millions of people still want to buy the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus. If the “iPhone Pro” or “iPhone Edition” or whatever it is that Apple is going to call this phone starts at $800 or even $900, who is going to buy an iPhone 7S or 7S Plus? Not enough people, that’s who.”

Here are two hypothetical scenarios for the other non-OLED iPhone models that Gruber believes may happen:

Scenario 1:

• 32 GB 7, no-S: $549
• 64 GB 7S: $649
• 256 GB 7S: $749
• 32 GB 7 Plus, no-S: $669
• 64 GB 7S Plus: $769
• 256 GB 7S Plus: $869

Scenario 2:

• 32 GB 7, no-S: $649
• 64 GB 7S: $749
• 256 GB 7S: $849
• 32 GB 7 Plus, no-S: $769
• 64 GB 7S Plus: $869
• 256 GB 7S Plus: $969

Apple is expected to launch the new OLED iPhone 8 alongside an upgraded iPhone 7s and 7s Plus this fall.