Every year we get a new iPhone. Well, every year Apple releases a new iPhone. You can get it, if you want or if budget allows. But every year we also get a price increase for said iPhone, a phenomenon that prompted Apple to start releasing explicitly cheaper editions of their mobile phone.
But, if Apple’s Tim Cook is to be believed, we could experience something strange soon. The price of an iPhone either staying static or, amazingly, coming down. Speaking to Reuters, Cook acknowledged that in some markets — where the local currency is weak against the dollar — the iPhone is costing more than it should. And he’s also decided that Apple’s going to do something about that, in the name of making a few more sales.
Pick me, pick me!
Cook said “And so as we’ve gotten into January and assessed the macroeconomic condition in some of those markets, we’ve decided to go back to more commensurate with what our local prices were a year ago in hopes of helping the sales in those areas.”
A move which, if applied to South Africa, isn’t a massive price drop — though every little bit helps. If iPhone pricing was returned to a 2017 level for 2019, we could be looking at a starting cost of about R20,500. That’s not far off from our current R21,500 pricing but it’s relative miles from an increased starting price of… R23,000 or more for this year? That sounds about right.
If Uncle Tim decides that everyone in SA gets a discount in 2019, we won’t complain.
It’s not time to get excited, yet. Neither Cook nor Apple have mentioned which markets will find themselves in the pleasant position of competing less with the dollar when it comes to iPhone pricing. We’re likely to only really find out who lucks out when Apple’s 2019 range is announced. That said, we’re keeping our eyes peeled for any earlier info.
Source: Reuters
