In a bid to further heat up the super-premium smartphone segment, Apple may be looking to launch an iPhone Ultra model. The tech giant could launch its most expensive iPhone Ultra in 2024, according to the latest newsletter by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The tech giant is not going to replace its outgoing industrial design chief Evans Hankey who took over after Jony Ive left the company, raising a question of whether we'd see significant upgrades in this year's iPhone lineup. Samsung has just upgraded its flagship iPhone-rivalling Galaxy S series with the S23 Ultra, S23+ and S23 with upgraded cameras, better batteries and a customised top-tier chipset.
Also read: Samsung Galaxy S23 Series Officially Launched. New Chipset, Camera, Design And More
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that consumers are willing to shell out more for the "best iPhone", thus, indicating a high-end iPhone Ultra model.
During the recent earnings call, Cook, while responding to a question about whether the iPhone’s rising average sales price was sustainable said: "The price increase is no problem. In fact, consumers could probably be persuaded to spend more."
“I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category,” Cook said on the call, noting that the iPhone has become “integral” to people’s lives. Consumers now use the device to make payments, control smart-home appliances, manage their health and store banking data, he said, according to a report by news agency Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, the Apple CEO also said he is “very bullish on India” and described the country as a major focus and "hugely exciting market” where the technology giant is putting a “significant amount of energy” through investments, retail and online presence.
Apple last week reported revenue of $117.2 billion for the December quarter and set “all-time revenue” records in a number of markets, including Canada, Indonesia, Mexico, Spain, Turkey and Vietnam, along with quarterly records in Brazil and India. The $117.2 billion revenue was down 5 per cent year-over-year, from nearly $24 billion in December 2021 “as a result of a challenging environment.”
“We actually did fairly well through COVID in India. And I'm even more bullish now on the other side of it, or hopefully, on the other side of it. And that's the reason why we're investing there. We're bringing retail there and bringing the online store there and putting a significant amount of energy there. I'm very bullish on India,” Cook said at an earnings call after Apple reported financial results for its fiscal 2023 first quarter ended December 31, 2022.
He was responding to a question on Apple's plans for India as the market emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.