iPhone 15 Ultra suddenly sounds much less appealing after pricing leak

It might be worth picking up an iPhone 14 Pro Max after all

Apple iPhone 15 Ultra phone in silver and gold on white background
(Image credit: 4RMD)

If you're a fan of Apple phones, you'll know that there's a wide range of products to suit every budget. This year, we had the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, spanning £849 / $799 / AU$1,399 up to £1,749 / $1,599 / AU$2,769 for a fully spec'd up model.

Next year another change is rumoured, with the introduction of the iPhone 15 Ultra. Originally believed to be a phone version of the Apple Watch Ultra, which would sit above the rest of the range and showcase the best iPhone Apple could create, many are now suggesting it could just be the Pro Max model under a new name.

We've already heard about rumoured iPhone 15 Ultra upgrades including the use of solid-state buttons, rather than physical ones for volume and power. Now, respected Apple leaker, LeaksApplePro, has tweeted about pricing – and it's not good news.

The tweet says, "iPhone 15 Ultra will cost substantially more to manufacture than iPhone 14 Pro Max," which suggests that the retail price will see a boost too. What's more, it could point to a price increase across the board. Apple is very good at keeping distance between it's models, without leaving a gap too big for an upsell. If the retail price of Apple's flagship is going to be increased, there's a good chance other models will be too, in order to keep things consistent.

It seems that Apple are expecting it to be a massive hit, though it's hard to envision. You can give it a titanium shell and USB-C, but any expensive phone in the current economic environment is a tough sell. Still, there's plenty of time for things to change. The iPhone 15 range is expected to be released around September 2023, so expect a few more updates beforehand.

Sam Cross
Staff Writer

Online news writer at T3.com, Sam has five years of experience in online and print journalism, with work featured in publications like Metro and Last Word on Sports. After years writing about music and football, Sam now turns his hand to bringing you news about new phones, smart home products, smart watches, laptops and TVs. Sam is a longtime fan and user of Apple products, including iPhones, MacBooks and Apple Watches.He’s also T3’s resident football expert, bringing you everything you need to know about the big games, including how to watch them. In his spare time, Sam is a keen guitarist, watch lover and (very) amateur golfer.