iPhone 14’s improved camera may cause significant price hike

The iPhone 14 might see an increased price range because of its new front camera, suggests recent reports.

About two weeks ago, various reports claimed that the iPhone 14 might be announced this September. While Apple has yet to confirm the official release date, latest reports are claiming that the speculated price of the iPhone 14 might rise even higher than initially predicted.

Why the possible price increase?

The price increase is being attributed to a new front camera the iPhone 14 will reportedly feature - made by LG Innotek and Sharp, from South Korea and Japan respectively. If these reports are true, then this would be the first time Apple would be using a South Korean front camera on iPhones.

The new front camera in the upcoming iPhone 14 is said to have a specialised autofocus with a wider aperture. According to famous Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, all versions of the iPhone 14 will feature a f/1.9 aperture selfie camera, as opposed to the f/2.2 aperture on existing iPhone 13 models. 

In terms of new features, a report by The Verge claims that the iPhone 14 might come with an always-on display, though that is likely not going to be a big factor in the rumoured price increase.

Previously rumoured prices

Previous reports stated that the iPhone 14 will start at $799, with the iPhone Pro Max being priced at about $1199. This is already a big increase from the iPhone 13 lineup, which starts from $699 for the standard version and $1099 for iPhone 13 Pro max. 

While it was reported earlier that the $100 price increase was due to increased production cost, newer reports claiming an additional price increase because of upgraded hardware means the iPhone 14 will be quite the expensive piece of equipment. 

A report by 9to5Mac also claims that a price increase outside the US may be expected due to exchange rate problems. 

Even though reports have yet to claim exactly how much the increased price may be, only time can tell if the iPhone 14's improved front camera and autofocus feature will make the price tag worth it.