14 DAY TRIAL // At $999 for the base level, the iPhone X is undoubtedly a very expensive device, but as it turns out, Apple is well aware that the price tag could be an issue for many buyers and the firm is already working on cheaper models for the next generation.
Reports coming from China and citing sources from the supply chain point out that Apple has already started development of two new models codenamed “Lisbon” and “Hangzhou,” which are essentially successors to the iPhone X, but offered at a lower price.
The goal with these two devices is to adopt the majority of all iPhone X features and technologies, and even though Apple wants them to provide the same experience as the 10th-anniversary model, some functionality might not be available.
The Chinese source says these devices would fit the local market just well given the concerns that the iPhone X price tag could be a setback for potential customers there, but there’s a good chance that Apple would bring them to all the other markets as well.
$99 cheaper?
As for the price tag of the Lisbon and Hangzhou iPhone models, little is known at this point, but a report from Japanese site Macotakara claims Apple is currently considering a $99 price cut for these new models. Obviously, this isn’t quite a major discount, and what’s more, this is the kind of price cut that Apple typically announces for old models when introducing new-generation phones.
The codenames of the new iPhones, however, seem to indicate a different approach for Apple, as Cupertino has until now used either alphanumeric nicknames, like D10 and D20 for the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, respectively, and car names, such as Ferrari, for the OLED iPhone X.
Of course, it’s clearly way too early to speculate on the prices of the upcoming iPhone generation, so take these reports with a pinch of salt until more evidence surfaces.