A $300 price gap between the 16e and 17 wouldn’t bother me but I can’t see Apple doing it. Though there’s a $400 price difference between the iPad Air and cheapest iPad Pro so who knows.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 16e Could Apple have priced the 16e at $499?
- Thread starter Rogifan
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I’m not sure how they could get it down to that price and keep their margins. Maybe as a start it doesn’t support Apple Intelligence so it wouldn’t need to have as much RAM or the newest chip?
Right now there’s $200 differentiation between all current models. This is from the 16e all the way up to the 16 Pro Max. It’s consistent.
I understand you think perhaps it should be a larger differentiation but I’m sure Apple feels they’re making the right decision. Of course it’s the bean counters because it’s not a charity. They have to run a tight ship so they can have a good product at a good value for the customer. The more successful Apple is, means the better they are capable of making a product. They will have more resources to develop new technology. You can bet Apple has probably spent billions on AI research and development. This spending is only possible if they are highly successful. If they’re struggling, they can’t spend money on what some might consider unnecessary things.
I guess Apple Marketing/Product Management disagrees with you.
You might get your wish if the price of the regular iPhone goes up this October. It is possible.
The iPad Air is in a very awkward place. It’s not anything close to a budget tablet, but it lacks significant features that are on the Pro. I think the price cap is because many people think I might as well get the Pro.
The only reason I bought an iPad Air was because I got it with a carrier discount. On the WiFi 11” Air vs Pro it’s only a $300 price difference in the same configuration. That’s one case where I think the price is too close for what you get. I know I just said $200 was fine for the iPhone but I feel like it’s $200 without losing features that some people don’t even want. Also, it feels like an iPad is something you would keep longer than the iPhone.
It’s a very interesting topic, but I don’t think our wishes are going to be granted by Apple. They have some guy that probably makes high six figures analyzing customer purchase patterns based on prices. There’s probably some test subject hooked up to sensors in a dark room at Apple HQ where they’re showing them a slide of an iPhone with different prices next to it 😂
This comment from 9to5 Mac is spot on. I won’t be surprised if we get an iPhone Ultra soon, pushing the top of the line iPhone even higher. Who knows, could be $1,500.
Yeah it is going to be interesting come September, regardless of what happens.
What is really wild is the actual price gap between the 16e and 16 Pro Max. That's a $600 price difference, literally double the cost. These phones have a lot of the same internals, RAM, Chip, (a few less GPU cores - I am not entirely sure anyone could ever notice or tell the difference). The Pro Max is objectively an excellent phone, but for half the cost, you can also get objectively, a really good phone.
Interesting times we live in. It's the same idea of a base model of cars. Generally, all trims of a car have the same frame and internals, suspension, etc. but the price of the car can easily double with higher trim levels. the F150 is a great example of how quickly that price goes up. Base F150 starts at $37K and the highest trim starts at $75K.
Sort of.
When comparing comparable display and storage size:
“Regular” size
16e starts at $599 with 128GB
16 starts at $829 with 128GB ($230 difference)
16 Pro starts at $999 with 128GB ($170 difference)
“Plus/Max” size
16 Plus starts at $929 with 128GB but to match Pro Max would be $1,029 with 256GB
16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 with 256GB ($170 difference with same storage)
Just going up the line (ignoring sizes):
16e starts at $599
16 starts at $829 ($230 difference)
16 Plus starts at $929 ($100 difference)
16 Pro starts at $999 ($70 difference)
16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 ($200 difference)
What is truly bonkers isn't the $600 gap between the e and the PM, it's how the market has accepted $1200 as a price point for a phone.
A decade ago, we'd all have been making jokes about how the phone must be diamond encrusted.
iPhones can have quite the price range. Entry to top level have been near or even more than double in the past too.
When the original SE launched in 2016, it started at $399 while the 6S Plus started at $749,
When the SE 2 launched in 2020, it started at $399 while the 11 Pro Max started at $1,099.
When the SE3 launched in 2022, it started at $429 while the 13 Pro Max started at $1,099.
Inflation is partially to blame. Things like much more advanced camera/Pro features are too.
A decade ago, the 6 Plus started at $749 which is around $1,020 in today's dollars. With 128GB, it was $949 which is around $1,290 in today's dollars.
Apple needs to protect its margins of at least 47%. I think the current price is as low as they could go and is very reasonable.
If they would have gone the 5c route with a polycarbonate 16c or anything similar they would have been able to lower the price.
Not sure if this is what the market wants. I mean the body of the 16e looks good but in the end its just more of the same we see since the iphone 12.
Not sure if this is what the market wants. I mean the body of the 16e looks good but in the end its just more of the same we see since the iphone 12.
Even if you include the cost of the monthly phone plan, you can still get an iPhone for less than Apple's regular retail price.
This morning I pointed out how people can get the 128GB iPhone 16e for (at least) 40% off with only 1 month of service. You do not have to pay for any service beyond the 1 month, then just wait 60 days for the iPhone to unlock if you use a different carrier. Use your current phone in the mean time then transfer SIM over to the iPhone 16e.
If you combine the purchase with cash back offers from shopping websites (e.g. 14% cash back at Total Wireless and 20% cash back at Straight talk via Capital One shopping) and any available credit cards cash back offers (for example, every now and again Chase will have a 12% or 15% cash back offer for Straight Talk purchases), you can actually get it for 50% off (or more).
Let's use the Staight Talk deal as an example.
$299.99 for iPhone 16e
- $60.00 (20% Capital One shopping cash back on iPhone 16e)
+ $60.00 (1 month service plan)
__________________________________________
$299.99
Last edited:
My wife and I had planned to trade in our iPhone SE (2nd generation) devices upon the release of the 4th generation SE. However, in November, I came across an excellent deal on the iPhone 15 Pro Max that was too good to pass up. Rather than waiting for the new SE, we opted for the 15 Pro Max at a significant discount, ultimately paying only about $56 more than the current price of the 256GB iPhone 16e.
The 16e is a solid entry-level device, though it comes with a relatively high price tag. That said, I am completely satisfied with my 15 Pro Max. In many cases, last year’s flagship models can be a great alternative, depending on your budget and preferences.
The 16e is a solid entry-level device, though it comes with a relatively high price tag. That said, I am completely satisfied with my 15 Pro Max. In many cases, last year’s flagship models can be a great alternative, depending on your budget and preferences.
Apple could charge whatever they want for this.
Tim's Apple went for the very outer fringe of what they thought the market would bear, and might've went too far this time. Looks like at least one carrier is already discounting it.
Tim's Apple went for the very outer fringe of what they thought the market would bear, and might've went too far this time. Looks like at least one carrier is already discounting it.
What does that prove? Carriers have been "discounting" newly launched phones from Apple and other phone manufacturers for ages.
$649 was the starting price of the 3.5" iPhone 4 (with 16GB) in 2010. Adjusting for inflation, $649 in 2010 is around $945 in today's dollars.
You are speaking about a 17 years period. Everything got more expensive in that time. Or from a different perspective money lost value.
In mayor cities apartments cost now 3 times more. Cars doubled, food as well. Especially since Covid.
Why do Tim Cook fans always bring up inflation to justify price increases but ignore deflation, technological innovation and moores law.