iPhone 8 Price News: Analyst Says Next Premium Smartphone to Cost at Least $999
Another group of notable analysts echoed reports that the upcoming iPhone 8 device will cost at least $999.
Analysts from Goldman Sachs are the latest researchers to reportedly agree that the iPhone 8's specifications, features, hardware composition and upgrades will give it a $999 price tag.
Business Insider obtained a copy of the investor note from Goldman Sachs where analyst Simona Jankowski said, "We expect the iPhone 8 to have 128 GB and 256 GB models priced at $999 and $1,099, respectively."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
As for the other iPhones arriving this year, Goldman Sachs predicts the iPhone 7s will cost at least $649 while the iPhone 7s Plus is priced at $769.
The same Goldman Sachs report apparently believes that the price hike for the premium smartphone might actually be worth it. According to Forbes, the said research affirms that the iPhone 8 is getting "the biggest and best changes" to ever happen in the iPhone product line.
Goldman Sachs researchers are reportedly expecting a 5.8-inch "no bezel, all screen" display design with a panel made of an organic light emitting diode.
Added to that, the front side will not be sporting a physical home button anymore but will be replaced with a "biometric authentication" located somewhere else on the device.
Forbes has also mentioned that the purported hardware upgrades caused the price increase on the iPhone 8. The OLED panel alone is an automatic additional cost of about $35 per unit. The expected 3D sensor, that might be incorporated in the front camera, is another $20.
The iPhone 8 is also believed to sport a storage drive with faster processing speed which does not come free as well ($16-$29 per unit).
On the other hand, while several renders or design leaks have been surfacing from time to time, Goldman Sachs believes (via Business Insider): "Apple usually explores multiple designs in parallel. However, with only four months left until launch, we believe Apple has now locked down the design."
The iPhone 8 is expected to be released this year despite some speculations from other analysts that "key component shortages and technical challenges" are likely to cause delay in the device's mass production.
