iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro prices – it’s time for Apple to take a stand

Apple is generally not the first company that comes to mind when you think of conservative approaches to product pricing, but hopefully that will change with the iPhone 16, when the new range of Apple phones launches as early as next month.

I'm not suggesting that Tim Cook will jump on stage Crazy Eddie-style at the upcoming iPhone 16 launch event to proclaim that its pricing is “crazy” – Apple has always charged a premium for its devices and always will. But the iPhone 16 gives Apple a chance to do something that very few of its competitors have done recently, which is keep phone prices the same when launching a new generation of flagships. And that, more than anything else, could set the iPhone 16 models apart from the crowd.

Smartphone prices are rising

Google recently unveiled its new Pixel 9 phones. There's a lot to say about these devices, and we've talked about them a lot in our hands-on with the Pixel 9 as well as our first look at the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. But for all the positives that can be said about AI features like Pixel Screenshots or the practical benefits of Gemini's features, it's also important to acknowledge that the latest Pixels cost more than last year's.