iPhone 6s to cost up to £134 more in Britain than in the US, study finds ahead of Friday's launch

  • iPhone 6s and 6s Plus set to cost £539 and £619 respectively
  • This is £118 and £134 more compared to the US (before tax)
  • Data also reveals 1st generation iPhone now becoming collectors' item 

With the latest Apple phone set to launch with much fanfare in the UK later this week, research suggests Britons will pay more than the rest of the world for its latest 'must have' gadget.

The latest iPhone 6s and 6s Plus is available from Friday, which will mean the familiar photographs of Apple enthusiasts queuing around the block to get their hands on its latest product.

However, the UK is second most expensive country in the world to buy the iPhone 6s and third for the larger 6s Plus, analysts at website Voucherbox have revealed.

Must have gadget: When Apple launch a new iPhone, thousands rush out to get it - and the iPhone 6 will be no exception

Must have gadget: When Apple launch a new iPhone, thousands rush out to get it - and the iPhone 6 will be no exception

In Britain, the iPhone 6s will cost £539 and the 6s Plus £619, its data shows. This compares to £421 and £486 respectively in the US, the cheapest spot to buy it.

Despite currency fluctuations over the last 12 months, it means Britons will pay £134 for the larger model than their American counterparts and £118 more for the standard size.

Following the weakening of the euro against the dollar, France is now the most expensive place in the world to buy the new iPhone, with prices around 30 per cent higher than those in the US for entry-level models, just pipping Britain.

Although prices for the new iPhone are the same as last year's new models in the US, UK and some other countries, the weakened euro over the last 12 months means French and German consumers will now pay the equivalent of around £30 more for a 16GB iPhone 6s than they would have paid for the 2014 16GB iPhone 6.

HOW COSTS COMPARE FOR NEW IPHONE (BEFORE SALES TAX)
Country iPhone 6s Country iPhone 6s Plus
France £545
France £625
UK £539 China £620
China £539 UK £619
Germany £538 Germany £618
Australia £494 New Zealand £571
New Zealand £489 Australia £563
Singapore £480 Singapore £558
Hong Kong £468 Hong Kong £535
Japan £467 Japan £531
Canada £440 Canada £504
USA £421
USA £486

Voucherbox says these figures do not fully account for sales tax, as Apple's published prices for the UK and many other countries are inclusive of such duties, but that is not the case for the Canada or the US where sales taxes typically vary regionally from nought to nine per cent, depending on the state or province of purchase.

For example, in New York, sales tax is 8.5 per cent, while in some states, such as Oregon, it is zero. But even with the highest level of sales tax, it is still cheaper to buy in the US than in Britain. 

In addition, UK customers planning to purchase iPhones in Canada or the US have to pay VAT on the product when they return home, whilst also verifying the compatibility of the phone with their UK network.

VAT at 20 per cent would mean a payment in the region of £84 on a US-bought iPhone 6 coming into the UK, bringing the cost to roughly £505 - £34 cheaper.

First generation: The original iPhone is now starting to sell for more money than when it launched, data shows

First generation: The original iPhone is now starting to sell for more money than when it launched, data shows

Elsewhere, its data shows the original iPhone, launched in 2007, has now become somewhat of a collectors' item, with prices slightly higher secondhand than new, according to sample figures from online marketplace eBay.

COLLECTORS' ITEM: THE ORIGINAL IPHONE IS NOW SELLING FOR MORE THAN IT DID WHEN IT LAUNCHED IN 2007
Year Model UK launch price Current average second hand price Standard capacity
2007 iPhone 1st Gen £235 £238 8GB
2008 iPhone 3G £299 £30 8GB
2009 iPhone 3Gs £440 £25 16GB
2010 iPhone 4 £499 £56 16GB
2011 iPhone 4s £499 £65 16GB
2012 iPhone 5 £529 £116 16GB
2013 iPhone 5c £469 £128 16GB
2013 iPhone 5s £549 £260 16GB
2014 iPhone 6 £539 £347 16GB
2014 iPhone 6 Plus £619 £319 16GB
2015 iPhone 6s £539 n/a 16GB
2015 iPhone 6s Plus £619 n/a 16GB

The new iPhone 6s is 129 per cent more expensive than the original 2007 iPhone 1st generation model, whereas the iPhone 6s Plus is 163 per cent more expensive.

Voucherbox also had a look at the how much people are likely to spend having the phone on a monthly contract – and it totals more than £1,000, even on a 'low' data plan.

The figures below are average summaries of the packages available from the major UK network providers EE, O2, Three, Virgin and Vodafone.

CONTRACT VS PURCHASE: HOW THE COSTS COMPARE
Device Data Plan Average Cost Over  24-month Contract Including Phone Price Difference of Contract Cost Compared to Outright Purchase This leaves a monthly budget for SIM only users of handsets bought outright of:
iPhone 6s Low (Approx. 2GB) £1,132 £593 more expensive £25
iPhone 6s High (Approx. 6GB) £1,189 £650 more expensive £27
iPhone 6s Plus Low (Approx. 2GB) £1,223 £604 more expensive £25
iPhone 6s Plus High (Approx. 6GB) £1,254 £635 more expensive £26

The column 'price difference of contract cost compared to outright purchase' shows the additional amount a customer would pay for a 24-month contract over buying a device outright.

As the outright purchase costs include no minutes, texts or data allowances, the final column highlights the maximum monthly budget, over a 24 month period, which a customer could spend and still save cash by buying the device outright, to use with a SIM only deal.

The pre-order period for the new iPhone commenced on 12 September after the new phones were unveiled earlier in the previous week.

This is Money has contacted Apple for comment.  

LATEST IPHONE: HOW TO GET THE BEST DEAL

Apple’s new iPhone 6s is here and brings with it a host of updated features that tech fans will be keen to get their hands on.

If you are looking for an iPhone 6s - or any other Apple phone - MoneySupermarket’s comparison service can find you the right phone and the best and cheapest plan tailored to your needs – or the best price to buy it outright.

There is the option to compare earlier models in the iPhone range, and even recycle your old phone if you want to unlock some cash.

> Compare the best iPhone deals here 

 

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