When Apple finally announces the iPhone 6 next month, I myself will be most certainly watching Tim Cook's pricing slide with great intent. There have been plenty of rumors indicating that Apple could actually hike iPhone 6 prices across the board.
Assuming the rumors are true, like most people I won't be happy about this change, though it won't discourage me from buying the handset.
The more suspicious watchers postulated that only higher-end models would command a premium. For instance, The Wall Street Journal just recently said that only the "more-expensive models" would get sapphire displays due to high production costs.
In the United States, T-Mobile is the only major carrier that fully separates device cost (fully paid upfront or via twelve zero-interest monthly installments) from wireless service plans. With other operators such as Verizon, the subsidy cost is not cut out of your wireless bill after your service agreement is over and your device has been fully paid off.
Which brings me to my question of the day: will you be getting your very own iPhone 6 unsubsidized, paying the full price of the handset upfront? Or, perhaps you'd be willing to commit your soul to a carrier for another 12/24 months, all over again, just to be able to pay the lowest possible hardware price at the time of your purchase?...