iPhone 12 cost: Apple might price the Mini at even less than the iPhone 11

The iPhone 12 will be officially unveiled on Oct. 13. If rumors are true and we see a new 6.7-inch screen size, A14 Bionic processor and 5G, prices could skyrocket — yet some sources say that prices could actually drop. Let’s take a look at the most credible rumors to find out more.

Multiple iPhone models at different prices

One of the biggest rumors around the launch is that the phone will come in multiple sizes. There’ll be the smallest, rumored to be the iPhone 12 Mini at 5.4 inches; possibly two base models at 6.1 inches (iPhone 12 and 12 Pro); and the largest iPhone 12 Pro Max at 6.7 inches. That allows Apple to offer a range of prices, offering variations on the specs depending on your budget. 

The iPhone Mini would be the cheapest model, with one analyst claiming that it could be available for as little as $649 with 64GB of storage, undercutting the current base 64GB iPhone 11 by $50. Offering a cheaper entry model would be a smart move, given that the global spread of COVID-19 has meant purse strings are tightening, and rivals like Google, OnePlus and Samsung are offering great phones at more affordable prices.

The standard iPhone 12 may cost between $699 and $799, in line with the current $699 price of the base iPhone 11, while the 12 Pro would be likely to cost somewhere around the $999 mark. 

The biggest of the bunch, the iPhone 12 Pro Max with its rumored 6.7-inch display would likely cost in the same region of the current 64GB 11 Pro Max, $1,099, although an increase to $1,199 would not be out of the question. It’s also worth noting that some rumors suggest the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will have a higher base storage of 128GB, rather than the 64GB on the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, which may affect pricing. 

Apple is broadly expected to keep the same pricing structure as it already has, with the iPhone 12 Mini offering a cheaper entry point to the series. Although adding 5G connectivity (as is expected) will likely increase costs, the phones are rumored to sell without headphones or charging plugs in the box, potentially reducing the costs back down — not to mention helping reduce plastic waste as many people already have drawers full of USB chargers and bundled headphones.