iPhone 12 price just leaked — and it’s surprisingly expensive

iPhone 12 render
(Image credit: LetsGoDigital/Concept Creator)
  • Analyst Jeff Pu says that the iPhone 12's price will start at $749, which is $50 more than the iPhone 11.
  • The price increase would be due to 5G, even though a charger and EarPods will likely not be in the box.
  • A previous iPhone 12 price leak said that it would start at just $649.

We’ve seen a number of rumors around the iPhone 12’s price, and all of them have been positive. And now an analyst has thrown cold water on those cheery earlier predictions.

Analyst Jeff Pu, based in Taipei with Yuanta Investment Consulting, has provided a research note to MacRumors that forecasts that the iPhone 12 will start at $749 for the 5.4-inch model. This would be $50 more than last year's 6.1-inch iPhone 11.

Worse, this price prediction is $100 higher than the prices leaked by Apple analyst Jon Prosser. He has said that the iPhone 12 will start at $649 for the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and $749 for the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max. 

This price increase would come despite the fact that that the iPhone 12 is expected to not ship with either a wall charger or EarPods. So why the increase? 5G connectivity seems to be the main culprit, and Pu believes that the price increase will be “accepted by consumers.”

Another recent rumor had the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 starting as low as $549 for a 4G-only version, but now that’s looking more and more far fetched with this new analyst note. 

iPhone 12 price confusion

So where would the prices go from here? The iPhone 12 Max would presumably cost $50 to $100 more than the iPhone 12, bringing the cost to $799 or $849, according to MacRumors. 

Previously, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max were predicted to cost $999 and $1,099. However, Pu’s note doesn’t touch on those more premium handsets.

In addition to 5G, the iPhone 12 is expected to offer a faster A13 Bionic chip, improved cameras and larger batteries. You can also expect a slimmer design with flatter sides, similar to the iPad Pro.

The iPhone 12 should feature two cameras, while the iPhone 12 Pro models will likely add a telephoto lens plus a LiDAR sensor for augmented reality apps. The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max area also rumored to feature 120Hz ProMotion displays.

If $749 winds up being the starting price, the iPhone 12 would still be $250 less than the $999 Galaxy S20. But the Galaxy S20 offers a 120Hz display standard and a larger 6.2-inch display. 

Mark Spoonauer

Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.