iPhone 8 deals: what price will you pay in the US?

The iPhone 8 price that Apple officially announces on September 12 may be the one thing that blows you away more that its new design and features.

It'll cost a fortune in the US, according to every rumor and analyst opinion we've heard in 2017. Get ready to start saving your precious dollars right now.

The latest speculation pins the expensive iPhone 8 price at around $1,000, give or take $100 in either direction. Is that likely to be true? Yes and no.

More importantly, how can you get the best iPhone 8 deal on launch day, or simply find it in stock? Let's make sure you have all of the answers on day one.

iPhone 8 price: how much will deals cost?

The iPhone 8 won't cost $199 – the usual subsidized new iPhone price every year since the iPhone 3G. This iPhone 10th anniversary edition is going to be extra special.

We predict the new iPhone will cost one of three prices: $900, $1,000 or $1,100. This is not just based on rumors, but also how much Apple's rivals are charging and the cost of materials involved in making the iPhone 8.

This is a 54% increase in price compared to the unsubsidized iPhone 7 price at $649. The unlocked iPhone 7 Plus launched at $769.

The best news is that Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and other US carriers will offer iPhone 8 deals at launch for new customers. They'll also break the price into monthly payments.

iPhone 8 price increase: how you can save money

Why are we so sure of the price increase? Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which sports a nearly bezel-less OLED display like we expect from the iPhone 8, costs $930.

Apple could easily top this, especially because it's reportedly using Samsung's OLED screen technology in its phone. Its chief rival won't give it any deals.

We therefore expect the iPhone 8 to cost $42 a month for 24 months if Apple does give us the (not so nice) round $1,000 price tag for the iPhone 8.

That's going to differ at AT&T, where contracts can be extended to 30 days for a slightly smaller monthly price, or T-Mobile, which may ask for money upfront, then give you the appearance smaller monthly payments that way. Verizon is our go to for natural pricing, split evenly over 24 months.

You can save money by looking into becoming a new customer on launch day. All carriers are currently running promotions, promising around $300 for new sign-ups, or avoid paying Early Termination Fees with your current network.

When can I buy the iPhone 8?

Besides iPhone 8 deals and price information, the release date is always the next biggest mystery. But we have some idea when it'll come out.

Apple's official iPhone 8 launch event will be held on Tuesday, September 12 at its new campus in Cupertino, California. We'll see and play with the new iPhone, but won't be able to take one home.

iPhone 8 pre-orders could be as soon as Friday, September 15. It's usually the Friday directly after the big announcement.

The actual release date would then be positioned for Friday, September 22, or, in rare cases when Apple needs another week to ship its phones, September 29.

There are rumors that the iPhone 8 is going to be so limited that it won't actually start selling the new iPhone until October or November due to production delays. It may be wishful thinking, but we think this delay is a long shot.

You should be ready to part with $1,000 and seek out carrier-based deals as soon as Friday, September 22. We'll have them all listed here next week.

TechRadar predicts the best iPhone 8 deal

While we gave you three potential prices, we actually predict that two of the three are correct, and the iPhone 8 deals will start at $1,000.

The other price that may come true is the $1,100 level for a larger storage size. At $1,000, you may get a 128GB iPhone 8, but a 256GB model could fetch an extra $100, giving you a bill of $1,100.

You'll experience less sticker shock if you opt for the $42 a month over 24 months price, or about $34 a month for 30 months with AT&T.