Ultra might not be just a rebranded version of the Pro Max

Feb 6, 2023 06:02 GMT  ·  By

We’ve known for a while that Apple was planning an Ultra version of the iPhone, something that would essentially allow the company to bring the iPhone and the Apple Watch lineups in sync, but most people believed the new strategy would come down to a simple rebranding of the Pro Max.

In other words, the iPhone Pro Max was supposed to become the Ultra, with Apple to continue with a four-model lineup from the moment this new moniker is introduced.

But that may not be the plan. Apple watcher Mark Gurman says the Cupertino-based iPhone maker is currently considering the introduction of an all-new version of its smartphone that would carry the Ultra branding. This means the iPhone lineup would include five models once the Ultra launches.

With the debut possibly taking place in 2024, Apple would push the iPhone to a new price point. The iPhone Ultra would become the most expensive iPhone ever released, as this is apparently Apple’s target in the first place.

$2,000 iPhone?

At this point, the most expensive iPhone costs $1,599, and it comes in the form of the Pro Max with 1TB of storage. Most likely, Apple plans to push the top price closer to $2,000, especially because, as CEO Tim Cook said, customers are prepared to pay more if they’re also provided with more.

Presumably, this new iPhone would also come with important upgrades over the Pro Max, including better cameras and possibly an even larger screen.

But for the time being, all of this is just a rumor, as not even Apple seems to be convinced that launching a more expensive iPhone is the right way to go. But given the success of the top-of-the-range Pro Max, Apple does see an opportunity here, and as long as it plays its card right, the more expensive model could end up becoming a money-making machine.