Apple and Singapore's three biggest telecommunications providers -- Singtel, M1, and StarHub -- have unveiled their iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus pricing.
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus can be pre-ordered from September 15 and will launch on September 22, while pre-orders for the iPhone X begin on October 27 ahead of its launch on November 3.
Purchasing the iPhone X outright from Apple will set Singaporeans back SG$1,648 for the 64GB model and SG$1,888 for the 256GB model and is available in silver and space grey.
The iPhone 8 costs SG$1,148 for the 64GB model or SG$1,388 for 256GB, while the iPhone 8 Plus costs SG$1,308 for 64GB and SG$1,548 for 256GB from Apple, and are both available in silver, gold, and space grey.
The price tags are an increase from last year's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus; in addition, in the United States the iPhone X 64GB model costs $999 while the 256GB model costs $1,149. The 64GB iPhone 8 costs $699 and the 256GB model $849, while the 64GB iPhone 8 Plus costs $799 and the 256GB model $949 in the US.
Accordingly, even when taking into account the exchange rate, Singaporeans are paying around $150 to $180 extra for the two iPhone 8 models, $170 to $200 extra for the two iPhone 8 Plus models, and $220 to $250 extra for the two iPhone X handsets.
The iPhone X similarly costs more in the UK, starting at £999 with VAT, and in Australia where it starts at AU$1,579 and New Zealand where the base iPhone X costs NZ$1,799.
Minimum spend
Including handset repayments, the minimum spend for the new iPhones on each telco are:
MAXIMUM DATA INCLUSIONS
If you make your choices based on the highest possible data inclusions:
SINGTEL
Singtel on Friday announced a refresh of its five Combo mobile plans to coincide with pre-orders of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
On its latest plans -- the Combo 1, Combo 2, Combo 3, Combo 6, and Combo 12 -- it is charging:
- iPhone 8 64GB: SG$27.90 + SG$788 handset cost for 100MB data; SG$42.90 + SG$658 for 2GB data; SG$68.90 + SG$428 for 3GB data; SG$95.90 + SG$178 for 6GB data; and SG$239.90 for 12GB data
- iPhone 8 256GB: SG$27.90 + SG$1,018 handset cost for 100MB data; SG$42.90 + SG$878 for 2GB data; SG$68.90 + SG$648 for 3GB data; SG$95.90 + SG$408 for 6GB data; and SG$239.90 for 12GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: SG$27.90 + SG$938 handset cost for 100MB data; SG$42.90 + SG$798 for 2GB data; SG$68.90 + SG$568 for 3GB data; SG$95.90 + SG$328 for 6GB data; and SG$239.90 for 12GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: SG$27.90 + SG$1,158 handset cost for 100MB data; SG$42.90 + SG$1,028 for 2GB data; SG$68.90 + SG$788 for 3GB data; SG$95.90 + SG$548 for 6GB data; and SG$239.90 for 12GB data
- iPhone X 64GB: SG$27.90 + SG$1,248 handset cost for 100MB data; SG$42.90 + SG$1,108 for 2GB data; SG$68.90 + SG$878 for 3GB data; SG$95.90 + SG$638 for 6GB data; and SG$239.90 for 12GB data
- iPhone X 256GB: SG$27.90 + SG$1,468 handset cost for 100MB data; SG$42.90 + SG$1,338 for 2GB data; SG$68.90 + SG$1,098 for 3GB data; SG$95.90 + SG$858 for 6GB data; and SG$239.90 for 12GB data
The two lowest tiers have 100 minutes and 500 minutes of calls and 500 SMS and 1,000 SMS, respectively, while all other tiers feature unlimited calls and SMS. The highest tier additionally includes a SG$500 yearly handset voucher, while the second highest includes SG$20 of roaming data each month.
M1
M1 has six different plans -- the i-Lite, i-Lite+, i-Reg, i-Reg+, i-Max, and i-Max+ -- and is providing the new iPhones for the following plan and handset costs:
- iPhone 8 64GB: SG$28 + SG$780 handset cost for 300MB data; SG$42 + SG$665 for 3GB data; SG$62 + SG$465 for 4GB data; SG$82 + SG$275 for 5GB data; SG$102 + SG$140 for 7GB data; and SG$228 for 13GB data
- iPhone 8 256GB: SG$28 + SG$1,015 handset cost for 300MB data; SG$42 + SG$885 for 3GB data; SG$62 + SG$690 for 4GB data; SG$82 + SG$500 for 5GB data; SG$102 + SG$365 for 7GB data; and SG$228 for 13GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: SG$28 + SG$935 handset cost for 300MB data; SG$42 + SG$805 for 3GB data; SG$62 + SG$610 for 4GB data; SG$82 + SG$420 for 5GB data; SG$102 + SG$285 for 7GB data; and SG$228 for 13GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: SG$28 + SG$1,160 handset cost for 300MB data; SG$42 + SG$1,030 for 3GB data; SG$62 + SG$835 for 4GB data; SG$82 + SG$645 for 5GB data; SG$102 + SG$510 for 7GB data; and SG$228 + SG$160 for 13GB data
The i-Lite plan also provides 100 minutes of calls and 500 SMS; i-Lite+ provides 200 minutes and 1,000 SMS; i-Reg includes 300 minutes and 1,200 SMS; i-Reg+ provides 400 minutes and 1,500 SMS; i-Max allows 800 minutes and 2,000 SMS; and i-Max+ includes unlimited calls and 5,000 SMS.
M1 has yet to reveal its iPhone X pricing.
STARHUB
Singapore's third mobile provider, StarHub, is providing the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X under the same pricing structure across five plans:
- iPhone 8 64GB: SG$48 + SG$606 for 3GB data; SG$68 + SG$424 for 4GB data; SG$88 + SG$262 for 5GB data; SG$108 + SG$85 for 8GB data; and SG$238 for 15GB data
- iPhone 8 256GB: SG$48 + SG$831 for 3GB data; SG$68 + SG$648 for 4GB data; SG$88 + SG$487 for 5GB data; SG$108 + SG$309 for 8GB data; and SG$238 + SG$126 for 15GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: SG$48 + SG$750 for 3GB data; SG$68 + SG$568 for 4GB data; SG$88 + SG$407 for 5GB data; SG$108 + SG$229 for 8GB data; and SG$238 + SG$46 for 15GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: SG$48 + SG$975 for 3GB data; SG$68 + SG$793 for 4GB data; SG$88 + SG$631 for 5GB data; SG$108 + SG$454 for 8GB data; and SG$238 + SG$270 for 15GB data
- iPhone X 64GB: SG$48 + SG$1,061 for 3GB data; SG$68 + SG$878 for 4GB data; SG$88 + SG$717 for 5GB data; SG$108 + SG$539 for 8GB data; and SG$238 + SG$356 for 15GB data
- iPhone X 256GB: SG$48 + SG$1,285 for 3GB data; SG$68 + SG$1,103 for 4GB data; SG$88 + SG$942 for 5GB data; SG$108 + SG$764 for 8GB data; and SG$238 + SG$581 for 15GB data
All StarHub customers also get unlimited data to use on weekends. The lowest-tier plan includes 200 minutes of calls and the second lowest 400 minutes, while the remaining three have unlimited calls.
Apple unveiled the new iPhones in the US this week, spruiking the A11 Bionic processor; six-core CPU built to handle artificial intelligence (AI) tasks; a 3D gaming and machine-learning capable GPU; a smarter Siri; series of augmented reality (AR) apps; support for LTE-Advanced; and wireless charging based on Qi, with chargers to be build throughout cars, retailers, and airports.
The 4.7-inch iPhone 8 comes with a 12-megapixel camera and the 5,5-inch 8 Plus with dual cameras, with both featuring Portrait Lighting changes with real-time analysis via machine learning.
The iPhone X, meanwhile, has disposed with the home button; integrated FaceID facial recognition, with the face data not being sent to a server and instead being stored on a chip; a Super Retina and HDR 10 display with Dolby Vision, True Tone, and 3D Touch support; animated emojis; dual 12-megapixel cameras with f 1.8 and 2.4 apertures; and a quad-LED flash.
According to CEO Tim Cook, Apple is aiming for the "next decade" with the iPhone X.
"The first iPhone revolutionized the first decade of the technology. Ten years later it's only fitting to reveal a product that will set the stage for the next decade," Cook said during the launch.
Join Discussion