iPhone (Flagship phones) Too Expensive?

[blairh]

After a few years using several Android devices I switched to the iPhone 6 Plus in December of 2014. I had previously used iPhone's for years before my first foray into Android, so I'm pretty experienced with both platforms.

Overall I prefer using the iPhone. Mainly for the overall quality of apps. I also prefer dealing with the Apple store employees versus a carrier store (or having to contact the OEM directly if necessary).

But one thing that really stung upon my iPhone 6 Plus purchase was the price of the device. I purchased my iPhone refurbished from AT&T for $722 plus state tax (so $767 total). In the past I had purchased iPhone's starting with the 3G model and during my Android foray I used a variety of mid-range/cheaper devices but at one point also the S4 which I purchased at retail price. So I'm not stranger to paying $650 and up for a smartphone.

But the last time I bought my iPhone it really resonated with me. There seemed to be much cheaper and quality alternatives in the Android family and yet I still went the more expensive route. Perhaps at the time I simply wanted to return to the iPhone experience.

So now we have the Huawei Honor 5X. $200 for a phablet that on paper appears to compete on every level with the leading phablets (the only weakness to my eyes is the lack of dual band wi-fi). Reviews will be needed to make this comparison fair or not. But the difference price wise between the Honor 5X and most flagship phablets is enormous.

I am very happy with my iPhone 6 Plus. And while I find my Apple Watch very flawed, I'm still happy I have it and I do believe in smartwatches in general. But what I don't like is the idea of having to pay big money for smartphones moving forward. Especially if there is worthy competition at a fraction of the price.

So, is anybody tempted by the 5X? Does anybody else feel like we have been paying far too much for flagships phones and it's time to vote with our wallets instead? I'm curious how you all feel.

 

[jasie02]

There is reason people keep paying for BMW, Lexus. Mercedes, Tesla, Ferrari, Porsche,.... rather than Hyundai, Kai, Fiat...
You get what you pay for.

Apple still own the most revenue earn for premier smartphone, even though Samsung is selling more units, they are taking in less revenue which means there is no problem of people paying top $$$ for iPhone, and not welling to pay more for Samsung. Just like car above, you get what you pay for.

 

[bufffilm]

Only time will tell.

We'll see in 2 years if people sell or trade-in their 6s/6s+ for the iPhone 7s/7s+. Now that phones are so powerful and less carriers are subsidizing new phones, we'll see if people hold onto their phones longer.

Apple might see some decline, but if history is any teacher, the iPhone seems better positioned than the competition to remain #1.

 

[jasie02]

Apple might see some decline, but if history is any teacher, the iPhone seems better positioned than the competition to remain #1.

+1, until someone else has meat to be the king, king is still king, regardless is he better or worst this year, he is still better than rest.
It is about the choice you have on the table, could you get something else better than iPhone you will satisfied, not the choice does not exist.

 

[eyoungren]

We pay that price for our phones every 2.5 to 3 years with part of our tax refund.

Not such a bad price to me for a phone that holds up five years or more. My iPhone 5 was that price. It's still serving as my media device.

I get every penny back because I use and do not sell my phones.

 

[adamhenry]

You get what you pay for.

 

[RiddlaBronc]

I paid 1.1k for my 6+ almost a year ago and its not worth it to upgrade every year. With that being said, i stick to number releases so the design can last me two years. When the 7 comes out ill sell the 6+ and pay the price difference for at least the 128 gb model.

 

[BenTrovato]

As long as people are willing to pay 1k for a telephone, then it's not too much. The price of the flagship iPhone outside of North America is insane. I believe it will last until Samsung/Google or someone else can deliver a better competing product. I'd rather have something other than an iPhone but the others just aren't better right now.

 

[bufffilm]

It will be interesting to see what the price point and feature set will be Apple releases a 4" update.

If it's priced right, maybe that would be the answer to the challenge...you'd have a flagship phone, the previous year's model, and something a bit cheaper (though Apple hasn't really focused on this segment at all up to now).

Again...only time will tell.

 

[9699624]

I just upgraded to the 6S plus and I love it. I do agree that the 1300$ price tag here in Canada off contract is ludicrous for a phone. Just like the posts above me, you get what you pay for, I had other "premium" android phones in the past and I always seemed to come back to Apple. As for the future, I don't think Im going to be dishing out 1300$ every year for a new phone especially with how prices seem to rise every generation of the iPhone. My 6S plus should last me another 4 years I'm hoping. With the current computing power in phones nowadays what more could you add? Faster processors? RAM? gimmicky features? I won't be upgrading for a while.

 

[blairh]

To the people saying 'you get what you pay for' I think that's just your opinion getting in the way of things. As much as I enjoy my iPhone I don't feel it's immensely better than previous Android devices I used.

I couldn't stomach paying $1,000 for a phone. Not a chance. Maybe if I was rolling in money, sure. But that's just ludicrous IMO. (Unless you sell the phone after a year for little loss, etc.)

For a while now I've felt these flagship devices simply don't justify their exorbitant pricing. The 5X really hammers that point home in my eyes.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

They are expensive, but that is only because we have gotten used to paying for subsidized prices, or prices for early tech phones.

This isn't really a phone anymore. You are getting a HD Digital Camera, HD Video Camera, PDA, Computer, Voice Recorder, etc.etc.etc. If you added up all the devices the smartphone has replaced, you are really getting a bargain.

I would say that I care more about how up to date my phone is now, compared to my laptop. I've been using the same laptop for years (2009 macbook pro 17), and with an SSD upgrade, it has been great. I feel zero need to upgrade, and compared to the latest models, I really don't see any performance differences for my personal needs.

My phone, however, has been upgraded almost every 1-2 years. Because the phone has become so important to me. Far more important than my work/home laptop. The phone is with you for everything. It is what you use to do nearly everything. Navigation for driving; Yelp for looking up restaurants; messaging with friends; emails; web browsing; etcetc.

You cannot live without a smartphone anymore.

When you see it that way, and put the prices of the past behind you, $1000 for a device that touches every aspect of your life, that you carry with you at all times, is pretty much a bargain.

Of course I wish they were cheaper, but it is what it is.

 

[eyoungren]

To the people saying 'you get what you pay for' I think that's just your opinion getting in the way of things. As much as I enjoy my iPhone I don't feel it's immensely better than previous Android devices I used.

I couldn't stomach paying $1,000 for a phone. Not a chance. Maybe if I was rolling in money, sure. But that's just ludicrous IMO. (Unless you sell the phone after a year for little loss, etc.)

For a while now I've felt these flagship devices simply don't justify their exorbitant pricing. The 5X really hammers that point home in my eyes.

Personally, my problem with Android devices has always been Android.

There are and have been several devices I've been attracted to over time (HTC One M8 for example) and I loved my Windows Mobile phone.

If Google would fix Android and stop letting the carriers/manufacturers water things down it might resonate with me. But right now, with some exceptions it just looks too ugly and unpolished.

 

[blairh]

The phone is with you for everything. It is what you use to do nearly everything. Navigation for driving; Yelp for looking up restaurants; messaging with friends; emails; web browsing; etcetc.
.

Sure, smartphones are a huge part of our lives. But I can do the very same things with the 5X that I can with my iPhone. I just was somewhat able to justify it in the past because of the app quality, customer service, etc. More importantly, the price differences with respect to quality phablets was less obvious back in the day. But I feel the 5X is really a turning point. $200 for a device that potentially competes in every way with the iPhone 6S Plus, which is more than 3 times the price at its base model.

I'm not saying I'm selling my iPhone tomorrow. But seeing great phablets at these prices, combined with how I feel some phones are too expensive to begin with, makes me wonder about things.
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If Google would fix Android and stop letting the carriers/manufacturers water things down it might resonate with me. But right now, with some exceptions it just looks too ugly and unpolished.

There are a lot of carrier-free options on the market.

My issue with Android was that it just never felt as smooth as an overall package. I had to run Clean Master once a week to clean junk that was taking up space on my phone by simply just using it in a normal manner. Apps in general, IMO, are not as well designed or often times leave something desired in overall performance vs their iOS counterpart. Having been away from Android for a year now the only thing I truly miss is a notification light and/or Moto Display.

I'll probably stay with the iPhone just because overall I prefer it to everything I tried on the Android side. I just feel it's too expensive in general though and seeing something tempting at $200 makes me contemplate the issue.

 

[Superrjamz54]

Personally, my problem with Android devices has always been Android.

There are and have been several devices I've been attracted to over time (HTC One M8 for example) and I loved my Windows Mobile phone.

If Google would fix Android and stop letting the carriers/manufacturers water things down it might resonate with me. But right now, with some exceptions it just looks too ugly and unpolished.

Google won't do that if they did, there would be no reason to buy anything but the cheapest phone possible since everybody's interface would be the same.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

Sure, smartphones are a huge part of our lives. But I can do the very same things with the 5X that I can with my iPhone. I just was somewhat able to justify it in the past because of the app quality, customer service, etc.

Well, for those that want cheaper phones, they have their option to buy cheaper phones. I'm not sure what the problem is.

You have your Toyotas, and you have your Mercs, BMWs, Ferraris, etc. Different cars, for different wallets, for different tastes. Same with everything else. Your $10 Walmart wallet will probably accomplish almost everything your Gucci Wallet will, albeit without the brand name and quality in some instances. Does that mean Gucci shouldn't exist or that you need to justify it? Nope. You buy what you are happy with. Others will buy what they are happy with. So long as people buy either, those companies can exist and continue to put out those products. If the market decides one is too expensive, that company will be forced to either lower the price, or make changes to justify the high cost.

 

[jasie02]

To the people saying 'you get what you pay for' I think that's just your opinion getting in the way of things.

Able to say "you get what you pay for", for me is experience, not opinion. Driving luxury car, live luxury, and using luxury phone.
Not everyone should and could have experience luxury, but if you could afford it, you could say it.

If you could not afford it, there is no point to justify why you could not afford it. It is what it is. Not everything needs $$$ to enjoy it, so enjoy what you could afford, and be happy with it, rather than justify why you are not happy without it.

 

[jessica0123]

I am in honor of "You get what you pay for",but sometimes people always don't want to try others because of laziness.

 

[blairh]

Well, for those that want cheaper phones, they have their option to buy cheaper phones. I'm not sure what the problem is.

You have your Toyotas, and you have your Mercs, BMWs, Ferraris, etc. Different cars, for different wallets, for different tastes. Same with everything else. Your $10 Walmart wallet will probably accomplish almost everything your Gucci Wallet will, albeit without the brand name and quality in some instances. Does that mean Gucci shouldn't exist or that you need to justify it? Nope. You buy what you are happy with. Others will buy what they are happy with. So long as people buy either, those companies can exist and continue to put out those products. If the market decides one is too expensive, that company will be forced to either lower the price, or make changes to justify the high cost.

There is no problem. I never said there was. I'm simply questioning the pricing of flagship phones when the competition can offer a great deal of what a flagship offers at a fraction of the price.
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Able to say "you get what you pay for", for me is experience, not opinion. Driving luxury car, live luxury, and using luxury phone.
Not everyone should and could have experience luxury, but if you could afford it, you could say it.

If you could not afford it, there is no point to justify why you could not afford it. It is what it is. Not everything needs $$$ to enjoy it, so enjoy what you could afford, and be happy with it, rather than justify why you are not happy without it.

Just so we are clear, I've done very well for myself professionally and have no trouble affording my iPhone.

This has nothing to do with that. I'm simply comparing what a phablet at $200 can currently offer versus one at $750 and up. In general I've felt flagships were too expensive to begin with and then when I see competition at a fraction of the price I start to question things.

 

[Algus]

Think I paid $800 for my Note 3 new? Can't remember now, been a couple years ago. My iPhone 6s+ was $950. Apple software alone was worth the extra $150 though there are various other things about it I like too.

Some people call it an "Apple tax" I call it paying for features I like. The supposed tax pays for build quality and design I really like and appreciate (yes I care about what my phone looks like) and a bunch of software I prefer using (iWorks, Safari, iOS itself, handoffs, etc.) so for me it is irrelevant if there is a comparable Android phone for say $600. It still doesn't have the software I want.

Don't get me wrong though, we live in an awesome time where there is a ton of cool tech. Android is always coming out with phones, etc. I think are cool. I wouldn't use them as my daily driver (well, anymore. I was on Android for four years) but they are definitely strong competition for Apple and if you don't like Apple software/design there is certainly no reason to recommend an iPhone over them.

 

[joeblow7777]

There is reason people keep paying for BMW, Lexus. Mercedes, Tesla, Ferrari, Porsche,.... rather than Hyundai, Kai, Fiat...
You get what you pay for.

You get what you pay for, but there's also a point of diminishing returns. That's where the idea of "value" comes in. The more expensive product usually is better, but it gets to a point where it's not so much better as to justify paying several times as much.

 

[spacemnspiff]

There is no flagship phones anymore, the playing field has somewhat leveled off.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/30/9818980/the-flagship-smartphone-is-dead

 

[JackieInCo]

I paid 1.1k for my 6+ almost a year ago and its not worth it to upgrade every year. With that being said, i stick to number releases so the design can last me two years. When the 7 comes out ill sell the 6+ and pay the price difference for at least the 128 gb model.

I bought and paid for my 6+ outright last February from T-Mobile. In December, I bought my 128GB 6s+ sim free directly from Apple. Two weeks later, I bought my 6S outright from T-Mobile.

Why do I keep buying iPhones? I can't get the same experience that I get on my Note 4 or Note Edge. I love the music player that I get on my iPhone so much better then the Google music app. I like that I can buy a song on iTunes and it downloads instantly on my other three iPhones, Macs and iPad. I like that I can start watching the four o'clock news on my local news app and then airplay it over to my Apple TV in HD and not kill my battery during that hour.

It's the experience that I will gladly keep paying for. I will undoubtedly buy the 7 when it comes out again. I don't sell my iPhones anymore either. I still have every iPhone from the 3GS on and every android phone I've ever bought as well.

 

[jasie02]

This has nothing to do with that. I'm simply comparing what a phablet at $200 can currently offer versus one at $750 and up. In general I've felt flagships were too expensive to begin with and then when I see competition at a fraction of the price I start to question things.

Too expensive or not is about value worth to the person. Some thing could be both too expensive or too cheap for different person. Some item could be very low cost but expensive for same person, but he could feel another item with higher price are cheap, like buying a newly remodeled 2 bed rooms modern condo/house in SF or NY financial district for less than 1M, which is likely not possible.

Personally, I think iPhone is cheap, compared with othe premier phone.
I have no problem paying it, not because $$$ listed, but because I could afford it without any financial impact and what it help my life easier, so I could concentrate on other more important thing in life.

It is about value added, not $$$ list. You get what you pay for, if values come with product is important for you, and value vs $$$ pay is acceptable for you, had no relativity to other people's value of iPhone to them.

In your case, it is maybe you could not see the value iPhone bring for you is important for you than spending $$$, than it is not worth for you. Go with your own value judgement, and make your own decision. Asking other people will not likely have same value added from iPhone compare with to you.

 

[Akack]

Bought a Nexus 5X bc it was "cheap" to compared to my iPhone 6S - the 5X was laggy and not smooth at all and the battery life was poor.....end of the day you get what you pay for.

Buy the Huawei and use it, report back and then make post "returning to iPhone bc......"