I just bought a $1,000 iPhone, and it wasn't even the iPhone X

Move over, iPhone X. My bill for the new iPhone 8 Plus was over $1,000 today, according to my Apple Pay receipt. My iPhone 7 Plus confirmed the payment with an audible chime, indicating my bank account has been depleted of funds.

Yes, Apple announced that its new iPhone 8 with a 4.7-inch screen would cost $699 (£699, AU$1,079), but I wanted the larger iPhone 8 Plus with a 5.5-inch screen. That's an additional $120, with Apple's price for it now starting at $799  (£799, AU$1,229).

Naturally, we've put a selection of deal pages together for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus if you want to check out the latest prices.

The proof is in the final price

The proof is in the final price

But wait, I didn't want the entry-level iPhone 8 Plus with 64GB – I wanted the 256GB version, since I'm at 72GB right now even with iCloud storage to offload files. That's another $150, making it a not-so-grand total of $949 (£949, AU$1,479).

Oh, and add in lovely New York sales tax of $84.22, and it's actually $1,033.22 in the end – more than the starting price of the iPhone X.

I have one week to decide 

Truthfully, I want an iPhone X. However, it doesn't ship until November 3 and there's no guarantee I'll get it then, as supply is going to be extremely limited.

But, really, this is the one I want

But, really, this is the one I want

But if you're fooled into thinking the iPhone X will cost you $999, like Apple announced on stage this week, don't forget to factor in the larger storage and any sales tax.

I can always take this iPhone 8 Plus back. Apple has a very liberal returns policy of 14 days, no questions asked. I just can't damage the phone in between next Friday, September 22, the official release date, and October 6, the last return date.

I may need to get an iPhone 8 case before next Friday. 

Matt Swider