Average iPhone Price Soars to All-Time High
New research from Strategy Analytics shows the global wholesale average selling price (ASP) of an Apple iPhone has hit a record high in the first half of 2021. iphone prices
The average iPhone price is an incredible 5 times more expensive than the average Xiaomi smartphone. Apple has made big money from the upgrade to 5G networks this year, and the firm can pretty much charge what it likes.
Not so good for inflation worries, however. The average iPhone now costs 10% more than it did a year ago. It is hitting consumers in the pocket.
Following the arrival of the first iPhone, the lineup has gone through multiple revisions and price increases, paving the way for many more devices. Those that have followed not only include other iPhone models but also tablets, headphones, and so much more.
Apple tends to follow a simple number pattern with its main flagship iPhone models. However, in spite of the current models forming the iPhone 12 series, it has been more than twelve years since the first iPhone. This is also in spite of the fact that the company never released an iPhone 9, jumping instead from the iPhone 8 straight to the iPhone X.
The Original IPhone Cost Compared iphone prices
2007 was a long time ago and the prices Apple was charging back then for its premium smartphone is a prime example of how the market has evolved since then. For example, the original iPhone was priced at just $499 in the U.S. However, this was for the 4GB model. For consumers in need of an upgrade to 8GB, the price rose to $599. Fast forward to 2021 and the price of the standard iPhone 12 starts at $799. This is for the base 64GB model with the price increasing to $849 for the 128GB version or $949 when upgrading the storage to 256GB.
The price has risen so much over the years that Apple has recently looked to bridge the cost chasm through the release of additional models. This was seen most recently with the iPhone 12 mini, priced $100 cheaper than the standard iPhone 12. Not to mention, there’s also the iPhone SE. This is the company’s direct attempt to offer an iPhone experience at a cheaper price, with the cost coming in at just $399 for the 64GB model, $449 for the 128GB version, and $549 for 256GB storage. In other words, the base iPhone SE is $50 cheaper today than the price of Apple’s original iPhone was in 2007.
Of course, the price and storage levels are hardly the only differences between the first and newer iPhone models. As the market has evolved, so has what a smartphone can do. Even though the iPhone SE is $50 cheaper than the original iPhone was at launch, it is a completely different phone. It does contain some familiar traits, such as the home button and 3.5mm headphone port, but the hardware and software upgrades make the iPhone SE experience largely unrecognizable to Apple’s first iPhone.
Apple’s Stock Reached New All-Time Highs Last Week
Apple’s stock closed at an all-time high price of $144.57 last Wednesday and continues to extend its gains this week, reaching a new intraday high above $145 in trading. Apple shares have risen around 17% since the start of June.
The stock market gains come ahead of Apple’s third quarter earnings results, which will be reported on July 27. Apple unveiled several new products during the quarter, including the AirTag and new models of the iPad Pro, iMac, and Apple TV in April, and previewed major new software updates like iOS 15 and macOS Monterey at WWDC in June.
Apple’s market cap is approaching a staggering $2.5 trillion, making it the world’s most valuable tech company. Microsoft joined Apple in the $2 trillion valuation club for the first time last month, with gains extending to several major tech stocks. iphone prices