I agree with Cook. The iPhone experiences changes the way we use our devices and iOS is simplistic, fluid and intuitive. And the iPhone has a lineup that offers something for everybody. Not everybody has to purchase a $1000 iPhone if they don't desire.
Toilet paper changes the way I go about my daily life and there are different options to pick from, still doesn't mean it couldn't be too pricey.
There is no denying it, smartphones are becoming too expensive for the everyday commodity and the volume that they are and are produced at.
Cars used to be a lot more expensive as well and they too over time got a lot cheaper, because eventually savings had to be passed down to the customer to compete.
There are still cars with big markups, but at least Mercedes isn't trying to tell me that I'm not paying a dear premium and to be frank, you could have a point that in the long run you save a lot on cars if you go with the right brand and model right away.
iPhones have reached a price region where you could argue that for Average Joe needs with so many apps being on both platforms the difference between buying two mid-tier phones that last 2 generations and one iPhone that lasts 3-4 generations is a lot more favorable than what you could get from cheap cars and their maintenance costs.
And keep in mind, the iPhone is priced as luxury item but is marketed as a tool for "everyone".
Without subsidies or 24mo contracts this wouldn't be marketable at all. Certainly not 4 digits.
"Not everyone has to get the best one"
Whilst that is true Apple seems to have lost the original recipe for success.
"The latest iPhone has..." was a simple term that followed great innovative features or polish on features already found elsewhere.
Now more and more they play catch up, force you into weird ways to bend your life around their ideas (headphone jack anyone) and complicate things by trying to upsell you to models you may not even want.
Now I'm super glad I'm an owner of a Plus model, I really love the screen size, but I know plenty of people who want a smaller screen, but they will be forced to go with less RAM and a substantially worse camera.
And even though I'm a close follower of Apple news I couldn't even remember if there was more you get cheaped out on.
Maybe not, but the simplicity is gone.
The problem is that there is sparse competition in the high-end field of smartphones, so you can't blame Apple alone since there is little pressure and people in general have terrible spending behavior (loud hoorays in Cupertino and generally around the world), but to come out and say the iPhone isn't only for the rich is absolutly ignorant, because that's what the people are in comparison to the average income world-wide. We just like to forget how well off we are, but even then, an "everybody's phone" is priced at what often is a whole paycheck or more.
Sure get an older iPhone... And buy the next one even sooner, because just because you get the latest OS doesn't mean you still have a great experience. iPhones age from the moment of introduction, not from the moment of sale. (software-wise)
Glassed Silver:ios
