Price shock! Whose smartphone is dearest – Apple, Samsung or HTC?

It’s Friday March 20th and you all know what that means? Well, for us in the UK it is the date that we know how much the flagship smartphones from the big 3 will cost. So, who has the most expensive smartphone between Apple, Samsung and HTC?

As discussed on the Mobile Tech Addicts show earlier this week, the Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and HTC One M9 all have their strengths and apparent weaknesses. If you were heading to the stores to pick one up the deciding factor may well be the price.

Of course, prices, tariffs, deals, contract lengths and all the rest of that carrier mullarkey can muddy the waters a little.

So, before you go heading to the Phone Shop, and in the interest of fairness, why don’t we just boil it down to the outright, purchase now price of the SIM free option? That’s precisely what this is all about my gadgety faithful.

Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus SIM-free price

Let’s start with the oldie of the group. The Apple iPhone 6 has been around since September last year but don’t go thinking that it can be found in the budget basket just yet. Apple has no qualms of fixing a premium price for its headline grabbing tech.

The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 with 16GB storage starts at £539 in the UK Apple Store, then jumps to £619 for 64GB and £699 for 128GB. The price is the same for Silver, Gold or Space Grey.

If you’d like to go large with your fruity phone, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus starts at £619 for 16GB and goes to £699 for 64GB and £789 for 128GB.

HTC One M9 SIM-free price

The latest HTC One M9 continues in the much applauded unibody design of its predecessor but has been internally tweaked and now sports a regular-style 20-megapixel camera around the back with the clever Ultrapixel lens being used for selfies.

After meeting it on release day I was very much taken by its two-toned finish and new edition of Sense.

At Carphone Warehouse you can buy the HTC One M9 now, with 32GB memory, in Grey or Silver for £580. I am hoping that HTC’s superb Uh Oh deal comes in to effect in the UK soon too!

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge SIM-free price

Samsung has upgraded its build quality for the latest flagship handset(s) which are now made out of metal. This new Gorilla Glass wrapped unibody has seen the top Galaxy phones not only loose their waterproofing but their SD card and removable battery skills. It has also seen Sammy push the price up.

For the 5.1-inch Samsung Galaxy S6 in black, white gold or blue, the price for the minimum 32GB storage option starts at £600 from Samsung’s site. The 64GB and 128GB models have not yet been given a SIM-free price by Samsung, which suggests they’re going to be considerably more.

If you want to go for the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, as always expected, you’re going to have to pay more. The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, in any of the four colours, starts at 64GB for £760 and is available with 128GB but the price is yet to be announced.

Both Samsung smartphones will be available to buy from 10 April. Pre-orders are available now and those made via Samsung can arrive a day early on 9 April.

The most expensive phone is…

This could well be a first. Where I would normally have expected Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus to come top the the rich list, it has slipped to second place.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, with its sloping sides, is £60 more expensive for the 64GB model. Granted, everyone will be able to tell that you have the most up-to-date tech in your hand, whilst the M9 could be mistaken for the M8, or even M7.

Is the price of innovation worth it? Which one are you going for?

Let me know your phone choices below or on the Facebook page.