What the heck is going on with skyhigh smartphone prices?

[Technarchy]

For someone who enjoys swapping out phones, the sticker shock is hitting me really hard. I'm skipping a year which I hadn't intended upon doing.

Was thinking about switching myself and the wife to android next year, but now I'm not sure.

I usually do two flagships a year but at these prices I’m going to have to really consider going down to one. It just stops making financial sense when you start talking $2000 a year for phones.

I might stretch out one phone over a longer period. Say 14 to 15 months.

 

[The Game 161]

thing is even on the upgrade programs i would be paying £30 more a month at least for the x over the note 8. so even then the note is far cheaper per month

 

[nviz22]

Is this a good time to talk about the rising costs of components?

Depends on which components? 64 bit mobile processing got cheaper that even Moto offer it. If you're referring to OLED technology having a global shortage, then yep panels are more expensive. Also, with some component shortages, the iPad Pro cost actually went up too.

On the flip side, we are at a point where phones are marginal upgrades now and the sticker shock is higher.
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Looking at apple's "flagship model" iPhone 6 Sept '14 and iPhone X '17

I paid £699.00 in Sept 2014 for my 128GB iphone 6
The iPhone X at £999.00 represents a 42.92% increase in 3 years over my model. Outrageous.
I know there is new tech inside but the X I have compared is actually the 64GB model, so not the X's flagship model per se.

Hate to be devil's advocate here, but I think the 42.93% upgrade threshold is surpassed with the iPhone X.

4K caliber dual cameras, better selfie camera, 3 times the RAM, FaceID, dual speakers, water resistance, faster wifi, better LTE coverage, much faster processor, 3D Touch, etc.

But I do not agree with the asking price, so going S8 might make more sense.

 

[Michael Goff]

Depends on which components? 64 bit mobile processing got cheaper that even Moto offer it. If you're referring to OLED technology having a global shortage, then yep panels are more expensive. Also, with some component shortages, the iPad Pro cost actually went up too.

On the flip side, we are at a point where phones are marginal upgrades now and the sticker shock is higher.
[doublepost=1506265428][/doublepost]

Hate to be devil's advocate here, but I think the 42.93% upgrade threshold is surpassed with the iPhone X.

4K caliber dual cameras, better selfie camera, 3 times the RAM, FaceID, dual speakers, water resistance, faster wifi, better LTE coverage, much faster processor, 3D Touch, etc.

But I do not agree with the asking price, so going S8 might make more sense.

And NAND flash, that's what Apple said caused them to raise prices on some models of iPad.

 

[nviz22]

And NAND flash, that's what Apple said caused them to raise prices on some models of iPad.

Thanks for specifying what it was because not sure if it was memory related or another important component. Apple also raises prices based off currency struggles like they did in Canada. So a lot of factors do play into the rising cost of smartphones, but at the same time, we are in the car model era of smartphones now, so a 16 model is just as good and better value of a 17 model.

 

[Yankee512]

Depends on which components? 64 bit mobile processing got cheaper that even Moto offer it. If you're referring to OLED technology having a global shortage, then yep panels are more expensive. Also, with some component shortages, the iPad Pro cost actually went up too.

On the flip side, we are at a point where phones are marginal upgrades now and the sticker shock is higher.
[doublepost=1506265428][/doublepost]

Hate to be devil's advocate here, but I think the 42.93% upgrade threshold is surpassed with the iPhone X.

4K caliber dual cameras, better selfie camera, 3 times the RAM, FaceID, dual speakers, water resistance, faster wifi, better LTE coverage, much faster processor, 3D Touch, etc.

But I do not agree with the asking price, so going S8 might make more sense.

Most of that stuff Apple has already had. So it isn't an upgrade.

Also, unless the X has a different Cellular LTE chip than the iPhone 8, it is still performing half as slow as some of Samsungs phones.

 

[nviz22]

Most of that stuff Apple has already had. So it isn't an upgrade.

Also, unless the X has a different Cellular LTE chip than the iPhone 8, it is still performing half as slow as some of Samsungs phones.

I was talking about in relation to the 8+ and the 6. If they want to get most of those older features, then the 7 or 7+ is the ideal purchase if they want to stick on iOS and save $ over the iPhone X. If I were buying any of the new iPhones, I would go with the 8+ like next year when the price drops on the 64gb model.

 

[stylinexpat]

If everyone got together and did not sell their smartphone or upgrade this year I bet it would send a very strong signal to the manufacturers. Their high earnings come at the expense of consumers being charged more.

https://www.businessinsider.com/hold-on-to-your-smartphone-for-as-long-as-you-can-2019-1

 

[0388631]

NAND and RAM prices are falling and set to fall further. Can't use that excuse this year. Of course, it never stopped Apple from charging higher than usual prices.

 

[stylinexpat]

NAND and RAM prices are falling and set to fall further. Can't use that excuse this year. Of course, it never stopped Apple from charging higher than usual prices.

When I saw "Tig Bitties" liked this I thought I saw " Big Titties" liked this lol..

 

[ImAnAgent]

If everyone got together and did not sell their smartphone or upgrade this year I bet it would send a very strong signal to the manufacturers. Their high earnings come at the expense of consumers being charged more.

https://www.businessinsider.com/hold-on-to-your-smartphone-for-as-long-as-you-can-2019-1

Although I bought several XS Max phones this year, I plan on NOT buying a Note 10/S10+ this year. I think it's time to skip a year and keep using my Note 9/S9+.

Last time I skipped buying a Samsung phone was the Note 7.

Maybe next year it will be the year I skip iOS.