I’ve never agreed with the coffee analogy either as it makes it sound like you’re better off not having the coffee lol. Nah, I need a coffee in the morning much more than I need to spend an extra £300-400 more on an iPhone. Tim Cook made it sound like you should justify a purchase by sacrificing something else to make it feel less expensive. I can afford an XS Max, I just don’t want to spend that much on an iPhone as my 8+ is plenty good enough. Sure, I have to go through the hardship of placing my finger on a button and waiting 0.38 seconds for the phone to open but it gets me by lol.
I remember once buying an iPhone 5c (not too long after they had come out) from a shop. Numerous attempts with different sim cards failed to activate it.
I presumed someone had taken out a contract on it then just not bothering paying the monthly payment or maybe it was stolen. The shop should have done more checking on it certainly. I did get an iPhone 5 and £10 off it from them for my trouble. Nowadays I just wouldn't buy anything second-hand or refurbished - you just don't know what you're getting into.