Roger Fingas
A questionable rumor on Thursday reiterated the claim that Apple will sell 256-gigabyte versions of its upcoming "iPhone 7" and "iPhone 7 Plus," while further suggesting there could be an even more expensive "Pro" lineup.
All three versions of the phone will start at 32 gigabytes, the Weibo leak added. Chinese prices will allegedly scale from 5,288 yuan ($804), the current price of a 16-gigabyte iPhone 6s, to 8,888 yuan ($1,351) for a top-of-the-line Pro. That would be a full 1,000 yuan ($152) costlier than the 7 Plus.
Only a few past reports have argued for the existence of a "Pro" iPhone 7, among them one by Japanese magazine Mac Fan. That publication hinted that the Pro would have a dual-lens camera and a Smart Connector, features that before and since have been reported as coming to the Plus.
Earlier this month, separate industry researchers claimed that Apple will be switching to a 32-gigabyte baseline and a 256-gigabyte top-end.
A number of non-Apple smartphones now have 32 gigabytes by default, since memory has become cheaper and the size of apps, media, and operating systems has made 16 gigabytes increasingly impractical.
Apple is generally expected to ship new iPhone models this September, as it has since the iPhone 5.
Christine McKee
Stephen Silver
Charles Martin
Amber Neely
11 Comments
But 16GB is enough and 32 will just cut into Apple's margins!!!
/s
The following is what's originally posted on weibo. I am a Chinese, so let me translate it word by word for you. I found it laughable all the Apple blogs are taking it this seriously.
【更正版】据称，
[Corrected version] According to what has been said
32GB版iPhone7售价5288元，64GB则售价6088元，256GB版售价为7088元；
32 GB version iphone 7 priced at 5288 Yuan, 64 GB version at 6088 Yuan, 256GB version priced at 7088 Yuan. (Yuan is the unit for Chinese currency, just FYI)
iPhone7 Plus 32GB版售价为6088元，128GB版售价为6888元，256GB版则售价7888元；
iphone 7 plus 32 GB version priced at 6088 Yuan, 128GB version priced at 6888 yuan, 256GB priced at 7888 Yuan.
此外，今年苹果可能会推出iPhone7 Pro，这款新机的32GB版本售价为7088元，128GB版售价为7888元，256GB版售价为8888元。
In addition, this year, Apple MAY introduce iphone7 Pro. For this new model, 32GB version priced at 7088 yuan, 128GB version priced at 7888 yuan, 256GB version priced at 8888 yuan.
perhaps the Pro will have new screen technology?
Those prices (converted from Yuan) seem awfully steep, but not necessarily outside the realms of possibility.
How accurate the claims are, and how it translates to prices in other countries remains to be seen, of course.