Apple CEO Tim Cook may have spilled the beans about ‘iPhone Ultra’

Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, speaking on the company’s Q123 earnings call, made an off-the-cuff remark that could be a hint about the future of high-end iPhones.
The pro camera system on iPhone 14 Pro Max:
Cook was fielding a question about whether the iPhone’s rising average sales price was sustainable. After all, a top-of-the-line model that cost $1,150 in 2017 (the iPhone X with 256 gigabytes of storage) now fetches $1,600 (the iPhone 14 Pro Max with 1 terabyte).
His response: The price increase is no problem. In fact, consumers could probably be persuaded to spend more. “I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category,” Cook said on the call, noting that the iPhone has become “integral” to people’s lives.
While Cook wouldn’t say if he anticipates further price increases, he made a good argument for why even more upscale iPhones could make sense… When the iPhone 15 arrives later this year, Apple will further differentiate the product’s tiers with a range of materials, processors and cameras. That includes giving the Pro Max model a periscope lens, which will offer improved optical zoom.
Apple’s plan to draw a greater distinction between the Pro and Pro Max has spurred speculation that the company will opt for a new top-end brand: the Ultra.
MacDailyNews Take: Over the last three cycles, Apple’s differently sized base iPhone has been a relative flop (iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, and iPhone 13 Plus). “Relative” because these models still sell in the millions of units; sales numbers for which any Android peddler would be envious.
Still, it makes sense for Apple to change, and clean, things up and instead offer three new models annually:
• “Normal” sized base iPhone (iPhone 15)
• “Normal” sized Pro iPhone (iPhone 15 Pro)
• “Flagship” sized ultra iPhone (iPhone 15 Ultra)
Even better would be to drop the numbers and name them like MacBooks:
• iPhone (2023) – starting at $799
• iPhone Pro (2023) – starting at $999
• iPhone Ultra (2023) – starting at $1,199
Each model would be clearly differentiated in features, performance, camera systems, and price making them easy for customers to choose with no dud “mini” or “Plus” models in the bunch.
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