iPhone 15's Record High Production Costs Could Push Up iPhone 16 Prices

The iPhone 15's production costs are appreciably higher than those of last year's iPhone 14 models, marking record high component prices that Apple could pass onto customers in 2024, Nikkei Asia reports.

iPhone 15 Pro lineup
The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max is calculated to cost $558, a 12% increase over the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max model released in 2022. This is a record high for the total cost of an ‌iPhone‌'s components. From 2018 to 2021, the total cost of parts for Apple's ‌iPhone‌ "Pro Max" models ranged from $400 to $450. Component costs rose around 20% in 2022 before reaching today's record high of $558.

The cost of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max's telephoto camera now stands at $30, a 380% increase over the previous model. Likewise, the titanium frame costs $50, a 43% increase over the stainless steel frame of previous devices. The A17 Pro chip comes in at $130, a 27% increase over the A16 Bionic chip.

The other models in the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup are also not immune to cost increases. The standard ‌iPhone 15‌'s components come in at $423, a 16% increase compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 14. The ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus is calculated at $442, a 10% increase over its predecessor, while the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro grew by 8% to $523.

Despite increased costs, Apple did not increase the retail prices of any of its ‌iPhone‌ models this year and chose to absorb the impact of increased expenses. The only notable change was the discontinuation of the 128GB Pro Max model, meaning that users who normally purchased the 128GB model now have to pay $100 more to obtain the device.

In collaboration with Nikkei, Tokyo-based research company Fomalhaut Techno Solutions believes that if Apple continues to absorb the impact of increased production costs, its bottom line will soon take a hit. As a result, Apple may finally choose to hike ‌iPhone‌ retail prices upon the launch of next year's iPhone 16 lineup.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro
Tag: Nikkei

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...

Top Rated Comments

xpxp2002 Avatar
20 months ago
God forbid Apple only make 40% or 45% profit margin on these devices…
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kirk.vino Avatar
20 months ago
It’s kinda ironic and funny though considering that the 256GB module does not cost $100 more than the 128GB one to manufacture, so Apple has already passed this price hike to their customers in a way.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mnsportsgeek Avatar
20 months ago
Another year of this huh? How many more years you gonna predict a price increase before you’re finally right?
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
20 months ago
At those prices I am ready to try a Fold next fall just to try something different. I’ll still have my 15 Plus for my iOS needs
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
20 months ago

God forbid Apple only make 40% or 45% profit margin on these devices…
Not an unreasonable number.

Do you have insight into Apple's overhead and indirect costs, which GPM doesn't cover?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
foobarbaz Avatar
20 months ago
Keep guessing! Eventually, the more expensive iPhone rumor will turn out correct.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)