I don't think paying inflated prices for more expensive inputs while keeping the same retail price is good business, I wish it were because everything has gone up. Other than the camera button, Apple focused on features enabled by the System-on-a-chip because the per-unit marginal of those features are low. The 16 has improved computational photography which could be a substitute for optical zoom for some families who previously bought the Pro for optical zoom.
It makes sense that they would keep prices constant this year considering the pattern over the last decade.
Apple raised the retail price on the 15 Pro Max and added 5x zoom (2023). Apple raised the price on the iPhone 14 by using last-generation SoC (2022). Apple raised the price on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro by dropping the AC adaptor and adding carrier charges of $30 (at least in the US) (2020). Apple raised the retail price of the iPhone 8 ($50 more than the 7) and in the same year, put more expensive inputs in the the X line which became the Pro line (2017). Apple put more expensive inputs in the 6 Plus and priced it $100 more than the 6 (2014).
It makes sense that they would keep prices constant this year considering the pattern over the last decade.
Apple raised the retail price on the 15 Pro Max and added 5x zoom (2023). Apple raised the price on the iPhone 14 by using last-generation SoC (2022). Apple raised the price on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro by dropping the AC adaptor and adding carrier charges of $30 (at least in the US) (2020). Apple raised the retail price of the iPhone 8 ($50 more than the 7) and in the same year, put more expensive inputs in the the X line which became the Pro line (2017). Apple put more expensive inputs in the 6 Plus and priced it $100 more than the 6 (2014).