Current Events > Wait, the new iPhone costs a thousand bucks?

(+) Yeah! (+)

What in god's name happened to us? Smart phones used to be like maybe 400 bucks or something, and that was considered high. It seems like the smart phone world has regressed. What the hell makes this phone so expensive?
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round screens
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No buttons!
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Don't ask me, I think it's insanity that people pay that kind of money. I don't know what it would cost in the US, but I'm happy buying older smartphones at 60 every few years.
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considering the technology and portability, it's actually a bargain. you're getting a super computer/entertainment device in the palm of your hand.

and iphones have been in the 600-800 dollar range for like...the last 5 years now.
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After taxes my Note 8 cost me $1,007.
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The iPhone X cost a grand. The iPhone 8 however is standard pricing for a new iPhone. Apparently it sold like 25% less then expected because they underestimated how many people wanted to hold out for the X and buy that instead so the 8 might actually see some reasonable price drops/ bundles for the iPhone 8 this holiday.
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I do admit the X looks absolutely fantastic design-wise
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Galaxy Note 8 is like $850 before taxes IIRC

I don't see why this is considered a large amount; probably because of the Apple connotations?
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Even more if you're purchasing it 100% in full through Best Buy!

its almost like the screens they use today and all the other parts they use to make the phones faster, etc cost a lot of money. go figure.
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here's my theory (long post incoming).

the thing with smartphones in the US is that:

- most people don't buy them outright
- they get them from the carrier (rather than buying unlocked)
- they refresh their phones every 2 or 3 years because they're used to getting a new phone when they renew their contract with the carrier.

i work in the IT industry in a role that involves the resale of IT assets. the margins on used gear are HUGE, much more than sale or leasing of new stuff. in my industry it's over 30%. i'd imagine it's something similar for smartphones.

so what im thinking is that carriers realize this and are trying to take advantage. they go to a customer and say "hey look, if you get the brand new iphone it's not $1,000, it's only $40 a month with no interest for two years." and then when the next iphone comes out next year they let the customer trade in this phone after a year and get a new phone with a new $40/month contract.

so verizon/t-mobile/at&t customers gets customers to essentially lease their cell phones, and then they can go around and take the phone after a year and sell it to a company to deploy as work phones, sell them for parts, ship them over to countries like India or China for resale, etc.

it's a big win for the carrier because they are getting big returns from the used gear, and it's a win for consumers who are interested in getting the latest phones every year or two. not so much for someone who wants to just buy and own a phone and upgrade on their own time.

tl;dr - carriers want you to lease these expensive phones instead of buy them because the margins on used gear are massive
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i'd never lease a phone much like i'd never lease a car and stopped renting an apartment as soon as I was financially secure. the idea of renting anything is laughable to me.
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I got a Moto last year for like $100 via Prime it works just as great as any iPhone I've ever seen.

What blows my mind is that people justify these ridiculous phone purchases by financing them like a fucking car lol. Imagine paying off a device over the course of a year or two that you'll just primarily use for looking at porn and yelling at people on social media lol.
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Meanwhile the midrange phone market is booming. I bought a G5+ for $250 and it's the best phone I've owned. The specs are ridiculous for the price.
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I dont understand the complaining about iPhones. They are basically the same cost as Samsung phones but nobody ever complains about the prices of those.

Ill actaully be going back to iPhone because its cheaper.
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gatorsPENSbucs posted...

I dont understand the complaining about iPhones. They are basically the same cost as Samsung phones but nobody ever complains about the prices of those.

Ill actaully be going back to iPhone because its cheaper.

Samsung phones traditionally have better features, and you're not locked in to proprietary peripherals and software like you are with an iPhone.

gatorsPENSbucs posted...

I dont understand the complaining about iPhones. They are basically the same cost as Samsung phones but nobody ever complains about the prices of those.

Ill actaully be going back to iPhone because its cheaper.

IoI
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thompsontalker7 posted...

Galaxy Note 8 is like $850 before taxes IIRC

I don't see why this is considered a large amount; probably because of the Apple connotations?

It's about $930 before taxes yo
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EvalAngell posted...

considering the technology and portability, it's actually a bargain. you're getting a super computer/entertainment device in the palm of your hand.

and iphones have been in the 600-800 dollar range for like...the last 5 years now.

There is nothing the iPhone X (or the new Samsung, since that is close to 1k too) can do, that a mid end smartphone can't do. Also, mid end phones cost half of that.
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awesome999 posted...

gatorsPENSbucs posted...

I dont understand the complaining about iPhones. They are basically the same cost as Samsung phones but nobody ever complains about the prices of those.

Ill actaully be going back to iPhone because its cheaper.

IoI

Is that it? Any reason why that was so funny?
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Nazanir posted...

There is nothing the iPhone X (or the new Samsung, since that is close to 1k too) can do, that a mid end smartphone can't do. Also, mid end phones cost half of that.

Round. Screens.
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Nazanir posted...

There is nothing the iPhone X (or the new Samsung, since that is close to 1k too) can do, that a mid end smartphone can't do. Also, mid end phones cost half of that

A Samsung J7 doesn't have a stylus tho.

It also isnt nearly as fast or last as long as Note 8 does
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