There have been a number of speculations as to how much the highly-anticipated iPhone 8 would cost. Apple has not divulged any details about the matter but this hasn't stopped some analysts and tech pundits to give their two cents.
One new estimate, courtesy of Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, is notably higher than the consensus of $675. According to Huberty, the average selling price of the iPhone 8 in 2018 will be $753. The Managing Director at Morgan Stanley came up with the estimated figure after analyzing the current trends regarding iPhone sales as well as the potentially high cost of the iPhone 8.
One of those trends, as noted by Business Insider, involves Apple's increasing iPhone 7 Plus sales. The plus-sized model costs $100 more than the standard-sized iPhone 7 yet it is gradually getting more and more fans. Huberty believes this is a sign that iPhones will have a higher average selling price later on. Another factor seen by the analyst is what she calls the "clear path to supercycle". This means people with old models would more likely upgrade when Apple introduces a new smartphone like the upcoming iPhone 8.
Despite being way lower than the predicted $1,000 price tag, Huberty's estimate is still higher than the consensus. Her estimate, however, is still lower than what Shawn M. Harrison and frank Carson predicted. According to the two analysts, the average selling price would be $849. The reason for their estimate centers on Apple's increasing expenditures as it develops an iPhone 8 with high-end features.
According to BGR, Apple needs to move heaven and earth to come up with a price for the iPhone 8 that is closer to the Samsung Galaxy S8's $720 price tag. This is to ensure that the anniversary iPhone will compete well with the highly popular Galaxy S8.
The problem is that Apple wants to make the highest-end iPhone possible. The iPhone 8 will possibly come with premium features such as 3D sensors, wireless charging, curved screen, and an OLED display, which Apple will procure from rival Samsung. That huge a dream requires money, lots of it. This is what sparked the long-running rumor that the next Apple flagship device will cost somewhere in the vicinity of $1,000.
