Contrary to all rumors, Apple didn't raise the iPhone 16 series prices. Not even the iPhone 16 Pro that got the most hardware upgrades of the bunch. For instance, the iPhone 16 Pro got a periscope Tetraprism zoom for the first time, and the one straight out of the 15 Pro Max at that.
Its display also grew in size from the puny 6.1-inch panel of its predecessor that made it appear very much like its cheaper sibling from the front. That's not even mentioning the Apple A18 Pro chipset that anointed the most expensive iPhone series. Still, Apple starts the iPhone 16 Pro pricing from just $999, the same as before. A commendable move, but people in countries other than the United States weren't so lucky.
Countries with the most expensive iPhone 16 Pro
While for Apple's bean counting department the global iPhone 16 prices are merely reflecting exchange rate fluctuations, for foreign buyers of its latest and greatest iPhone 16 Pro the price is eye-watering or jaw-dropping, depending on their particular mood.
According to market research firm Compare The Market, the most expensive iPhone 16 series can be found in Turkey, again, followed by New Zealand. The analysts hail from Australia so they converted the local prices in AUD, but still the ranking stays the same.
Global iPhone price changes in AUD | Image credit – CompareTheMarket
In some countries with rampant inflation and freewheeling currency exchange rates like the Republic of Türkiye (Turkey), for instance, the iPhone 16 Pro cost more than double what it does in America in USD equivalent.
The same with Brazil, whose intriguing mix of high inflation, import taxes, and currency fluctuations often takes the iPhone pricing cake and eats it. In fact, the starting price of the base iPhone 16 Pro there is 10499 Brazilian Real, which translates to $1,920 USD, nearly double what the phone costs in the US.
iPhone 16 Pro costs $1,920 USD in Brazil | Image credit – Apple
There are plenty of reasons why iPhones sold in the US are some of the cheapest globally. Abroad, some of those prices are outrageous, especially compared to the local purchasing power. It is not even because the US is a huge market, and the iPhone is so popular here, often as a status symbol, that half of Americans are kitted with one.
The US has a very low import tariff structure on consumer electronics, so not only phones, but laptops and TVs are also comparatively cheap, for instance. Moreover, people are buying their phones mainly through their carriers, and in installments. This way the price isn't felt the same way as when purchased outright, so consumers could, as Tim Cook put it once, afford to pay off a phone for the price of their morning coffee.
Apple is, however, an American company, and the US is one of the most visible markets in terms of marketing reach, so it is pretty careful how it prices and positions the iPhone here. For the rest of the world, though, Apple is simply trying to maintain the margins between the price and production costs, while adjusting for import and sales taxes, as well as for currency fluctuations.
The reason for the high global iPhone prices compared to the US, Taiwan, or Japan, where Apple handset prices are lowest when expressed in USD, is a combination of all taxes plus the inflation rate and local currency fluctuation.
Still, with inflation rates abating and currencies stabilizing in the past year or so, Apple didn't raise the iPhone 16 Pro price in Europe like it did last year with the 15 Pro, for instance, larger screen, Tetraprism camera and all the other hardware upgrades or not. That is of at least some consolation, especially for countries like Turkey or Brazil where the iPhone 16 Pro prices are already outrageously high compared to the good ol' USA.
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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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