Amaya Toman Analysts predict further growth in smartphone prices. They cite several factors as the reason, but the main one is the success of the iPhone X. There are certainly enough people who strongly doubt that Apple would be able to "force" its customers to pay such high amounts for Apple smartphones, but it seems that they doubt wrongly.
When Apple crossed the magical $1000 price point with its iPhone X, there were plenty of critics. There were doubts that customers with deeper pockets would reach for a high-end model when they have the chance to buy an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus that is sufficient in many respects. Someone predicted weak iPhone X sales. But those were refuted by Tim Cook last week when announcing the company's financial results. The iPhone X outsold all other devices in sales.
The iPhone X's surprisingly strong sales were proof to Apple that even mainstream customers are willing to pay just as much – if not more – for a mobile phone than a powerful laptop. It looks like Apple will soon really start the era of smartphones that will normally cost more than 30 thousand crowns. But it's not just Apple, manufacturers such as Samsung, Huawei or OnePlus are also driving the prices of their flagship smartphones higher and higher.
This is really an arbitrary effort to squeeze as much as possible out of customers. Flagship models have higher requirements for components that are better but also more expensive, and other factors play a role as well. Demands on camera performance are increasing, which is necessarily reflected in the price. Manufacturers are also constantly trying to improve the material of the phone chassis. The mentioned factors are of course understandable, CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood expressed one "but":
"I certainly agree that part of the factors contributing to such a high price are the components and the manufacturing process (…), but not to such an extent. I also believe Apple made a strategic decision to raise the price of the flagship iPhone to maximize returns.”
Carolina Milanesi from Creative Strategies agrees with this opinion, adding that although the cost of materials is increasing, the fact that they are a kind of indicator of social status also has an effect on the huge margin for flagships. According to Wood, the price of other iPhones could go up to $1200. At the same time, however, he adds that the number of customers who buy an expensive high-end phone on monthly installments is growing.
The rise in prices of flagship smartphones from the most famous companies:
Source: CNET
But what kind of increase.. It's speculation, but according to analysts, the highest plus Xko model should cost a thousand dollars this year, while the classic Xko should be a bit cheaper.. Not to mention the successor to the 8, which will honor the same design, but for the price in my opinion at the same level, i.e. 20 thousand CZK... I don't see any increase in price.