Apple jacks up Aussie iPhone 6 prices

Apple has increased the price of its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus smartphones in Australia by as much as $200.

Amongst the noise of the launch of the company's new Watch wearable, Apple Australia quietly boosted the cost of all its iPhone 6 models locally, as first reported by Cyber Shack.

The smartphones are now up to $200 more than at their launch six months ago.

A base-level 16GB iPhone 6 will now set buyers back $999, compared to $869 at the September launch.

The price of the midrange 64GB iPhone 6 has been hiked up past the $1000 mark to $1149, $150 higher than its $999 launch price. And the top-line 128GB iPhone 6 is now $1299, rather than $1129 as previously.

The larger iPhone 6 Plus models have also had a price increase - the 16GB variant is now $150 more expensive at $1149, the mid-level 64GB model is now $1299 compared to $1190, and the largest 128GB iPhone 6 Plus will now cost $200 more at $1449.

Apple Australia has been contacted for comment.

The price increase may be a result of fluctuations in the Australian dollar, which has fallen significantly in the six months since Apple launched the devices from US$0.93 to US$0.77.

Apple today revealed it had sold 700 million iPhones since the first device went on sale in 2007, and almost 75 million in the last quarter - thanks in part to the arrival of the new models.