Following a slump in sales, Apple has hinted at a possible reduction in the price of its iPhone. With a 15% fall in revenue for these devices during its latest financial quarter, the company may be making a move to appear more competitive.
So how did we arrive at a point where an iPhone can cost over one thousand pounds? Here we take a look at the various models, sizes and features over the years.
The iPhone 2G
In June 2007, Apple released the first in the States with an RRP price of $499 (£381) for the 4GB version and $599 (£457) for the 8GB version. This model could fit in the palm of your hand and is now considered a collector’s item.
iPhone 3G
In July 2008, the iPhone 3G was launched and over 1 million devices were sold in its first week. With a choice of colours between black and white, this model was priced much more keenly at £99 with a two-year contract.
The updated iOS 2.0 operating system included new features such as multimedia messaging (MMS) and copy and paste.
Twelve months later, the iPhone 3GS hit the market – with the S standing for speed – as this device was marketed as “The fastest, smartest phone yet.” The iPhone 3G was eventually discontinued in June 2010.
iPhone 4
Dubbed the “thinnest smartphone in the world”, the next generation of iPhone was showcased at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in July 2010.
The new front-facing camera provided an edge over other manufacturers, since it allowed for FaceTime video chat. The 16GB model was priced at £499 and the 32GB model would have cost you £599. In October 2011, the voice-assistant Siri made its first appearance with the release of the iPhone 4S.
iPhone 5
Apple took over two million orders for the iPhone 5 in just 24 hours. It was the last model overseen by Steve Jobs before he died and included 4G connectivity, a thinner lighter design and a taller screen than previous models.
Prices were set at at £529 (16GB), £599 (32G) and £699 (64GB). When the iPhone 5C and 5S were released in 2013, this marked the discontinuation of the original iPhone 5.
iPhone 6
With the release of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in September 2014 came the introduction of a plus-size option. The 6 and 6 Plus were sold as 4.7 and 5.5 inch displays respectively.
Some of the new features for this model were a better camera, increased battery life and the first appearance of Apple Pay. Apple priced the iPhone 6 at £539 for a sim-free device.
iPhone 7
In September 2016, the iPhone 7 was released in in the UK with a starting price of £549. The plus-sized iPhone 7 Plus cost£669.
Available in a range of colours, and with options of 32Gb or 128GB, these models were available in either grey, black or red. The most controversial development was the removal of the headphone jack.
iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X
The iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X were first announced in September 2017 with the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus being released the same month. They were made available in silver, space grey and a new gold colour.
An all-glass design replaced the aluminium casing featured in the iPhone 7 and prices started at £699 for the 64GB version of the iPhone 8 and £799 for the 64Gb version of the iPhone 8 Plus.
The iPhone X was eventually released in November 2017 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Apple iPhone. This model, priced at £999, saw the removal of the home button, an OLED display on a 5.8 inch screen and wireless charging.
Since then, Apple has released 3 more variations – the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and XS Max. Prices for these devices ranges from £749 to a whopping £1,449 for the most expensive.