Fixing the iPhone lineup
Consider this my pitch to take over as Apple CEO after Tim Cook retires…
Apple, the computer and smartphone company known for charging high premiums for its devices, is considering introducing a new, more expensive iPhone as part of its 2024 lineup. That means something more expensive than the iPhone 14 Pro Max which starts at $1,899.
I currently own the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and on my two-year upgrade cycle am in line for a iPhone 15 model this year. I will likely shell out for the Pro Max model again, simply because I am a fan of the larger screen size and refresh rate pairing, something the Plus model likely won’t have if it is indeed released again this year.
But while my mind is seemingly made up already, months before the phones are expected to launch, that doesn’t stop me of dreaming about what the lineup should look like in my eyes. To refresh, the current iPhone lineup sold by Apple is:
iPhone SE ($719)
iPhone 12 ($1,049)
iPhone 13 mini ($1,049)
iPhone 13 ($1,229)
iPhone 14 ($1,399)
iPhone 14 Plus ($1,579)
iPhone 14 Pro ($1,749)
iPhone 14 Pro Max ($1,899).
That’s a lot of phones in the current lineup, and with three older generation models (excluding the SE), it’s a very confused lineup in my opinion. As a comparison, Google’s Pixel lineup has just three phones (Pixel 6a; Pixel 7; Pixel 7 Pro).
In Apple’s defence, this current lineup does wonders for the up-sell. I was recently helping one of my friends choose a new iPhone after their iPhone 8 finally met its end, and while the discussion started at the iPhone SE it ended at the iPhone 13. This was largely due to me not liking the current SE, so I campaigned hard against it, but once we reached the iPhone 12 it became a relatively easy choice for them to decide on the iPhone 13. The only real sticking point was that the iPhone 12 has the superior colour choice with the purple.
However, since the early days of Steve Jobs’ return in the late 1990s, Apple has focussed on doing more with less. I would like to see the iPhone lineup return to this streamlined approach.
The first step here was to remove the numbers. The iPhone is alone with the Apple Watch as the only products in Apple’s lineup that still have a number denoted every year. The iPad has a silent number, while the Mac lineup is simply denoted by the year in which it was released. In my scenario, the iPhone (and Watch) follow the latter approach.
Now, in light of the rumoured Ultra model, and the earlier rumour that Apple has cancelled the fourth generation iPhone SE, I have devised the following lineup that has just five iPhone models.
iPhone SE (3rd gen) ($719)
iPhone ($999)
iPhone Pro ($1,749)
iPhone Pro Max ($1,899)
iPhone Ultra ($2,049)
I will briefly explain what features each model will have below, but this is obviously a much simpler and more manageable lineup. Unfortunately the only phone in my lineup to receive a price cut is the iPhone, which falls from $1,399 price of the current iPhone 14 model. This is admittedly wishful thinking, but with a few concessions to the more premium models this could help fill the absence of the fourth generation SE.
iPhone SE (3rd generation)
The third generation iPhone SE unfortunately stays in the lineup until such a time that Apple finds a way to deliver a worthwhile fourth generation. Thankfully, it is able to stay at the current price and will receive updates for a few years to come so its too bad of a deal for those wanting a cheap-ish phone in the Apple ecosystem.
To recap, the SE shares a design with the iPhone 8, featuring Touch ID in the home button and thick bezels around a 4.7 inch screen.
The only slightly cool thing about this phone is that Apple says I could trade in my iPhone 13 Pro Max for $800, which cover the cost of this SE device with some change. I’m definitely not going to do it, but its neat knowing I could…
iPhone
This is where things start to get interesting in my lineup.
As mentioned above, the iPhone falls by $400 compared to the iPhone 14 to a starting price of $999. As the first sub-$1,000 iPhone in Australia that isn’t the SE, the iPhone would be a very attractive purchase for many.
However, the such a price cut isn’t possible without some concessions.
This iPhone would be based on the iPhone 14 design, with a 6.1 inch display and a notch. However, there would be no Face ID. Instead, the iPhone would come with Touch ID housed in the power button, as is the case on the iPad mini and iPad Air. It would also keep the existing screen refresh rate of 60hz.
These are major concessions in my book, as the Android competitors are increasingly putting 120hz refresh rates in budget phones. But given Apple has so far not done so for the $1,399 iPhone model, I don’t see them doing so at the reduced $999 price point. Similarly, the retention of the notch without Face ID may be a big no-no for many, particularly as Android phones are moving toward under-display cameras, but if Apple is okay with bringing the notch to the MacBooks without Face ID then why not the iPhone.
iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max
I’m lumping these two together here because they are both unexciting.
The Pro and Pro Max models would retain much of the same features that they currently do, though with some minor upgrades such as the rumoured camera improvements coming to the Pro Max model.
The prices also stay the same, though I would love to reduce them slightly in light of the iPhone falling dramatically and the absence of any in-between models. However, the realist in me knows this is a step too far.
At $1,749 and $1,899, Apple would be ensuring only enthusiasts and those that don’t care about money would be buying these devices over the cheaper iPhone model, but I would expect an overall increase in handset sales through this approach opening the door for higher services revenue (something that will undoubtedly be the source of any future growth for Apple).
iPhone Ultra
The iPhone Ultra is where this get truly interesting in my opinion.
Starting at a hefty $2,049, most consumers would be priced out of this model, and if they aren’t then they really should be.
It would however take the lead from last years’ Apple Watch Ultra model by adding a dedicated action button. The primary purpose of this would be as a camera shutter button, but it could be programmed to perform a range of functions, such as running Shortcuts or smart home automations.
The Ultra would also be portless, with charging performed through MagSafe. The buttons, excluding the aforementioned action button, would be solid-state and the mute switch would be removed entirely (replaced with a mute button in the Control Panel).
The other big upgrade on the Ultra would be in its camera array, which would represent a significant improvement over the already impressive iPhone Pro Max. I envision a whole new setup, differing from the current “square in the corner” position. This could be a more balanced bar running across the back of the device which would enable more room for larger sensors and help to balance the device.
The screen size would remain the same as the Pro Max (6.7 inches), though it would feature some improvements such as a ProMotion Display with a variable refresh rate up to 120hz.