Why do people shell out $199 for the iPhone 5?

2 Reasons for me:

1) last iPhone unlocked usually still sells for close to retail price of new iPhone so net out of pocket to upgrade is like $25 for the phone
2) if you don't upgrade you are giving up the $200-$300 subsidy provided by the carrier every 2 years to stay on contract

So I think it's pretty silly not to upgrade every 2 years unless the above doesn't apply to you.

Because a family member's iPhone 4s slipped out of her pocket and plunked into the water while she was sitting at a fountain & eating lunch last Friday. It was essential to have a new phone the next day (plus the upgrade was good, too.)

$199 is peanut.

People outside US are paying as much as 10 times 199 to have this phone although they earn far far less than people in US. There're people who give up their virginity and kidney for an iPhone.

That's what human desire could drive a person to - not necessarily to meet any needs.

Why shouldn't people put a couple of hundred quid towards a handset they want? Its their choice. If people don't want to spend any money on an iPhone 5, either buy the iPhone 4 that comes free on contract or buy a budget Android handset. Nobody is worse off than the other as long as you don't begrudge somebody spending their own money on the things they want.

awesomest47 said:

is anyone curious what will happen when we get to iPhone 50 or something? Will Apple stop at one point???

Click to expand...

There are more important things to be curious about.

This thread started out stupid and is only getting worse.