Other When will you stop? Are you okay paying 2000€ for a phone?

[The-Real-Deal82]

It’s already gone above what I will pay for an iPhone. This year has now priced the standard 14 at more than I’m happy to pay.

The higher the price the smaller the market gets over time.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Ridding through the posts on this thread and seeing so many people attacking the OP when they’ve clearly not read the post.

It’s a question, not a criticism.. Read.

 

[lordhamster]

It strikes me seeing people accepting buying a phone (Apple or any other company) for more than 1000€. Now with the new models a Pro 128GB is 1500€, which is absolutely insane. Maybe in 4 years the Pro Max base 256GB will be 2000€, yet still (some) people will buy it.

Doesnt matter if you pay it in 24/36 months. It is just TOO much.

I always wonder if these people who keep buying have 200.000$ per year jobs. Must be rich people, because anyone who is paying gas, electricity, food, rent or whatever surely can’t see this been right.

When will you stop?

Some people seem ok with paying 1.500€ for the 14 Pro Max. So, when will you stop?

Simple answer for me. When I don't think it is worth it.

I used to buy the newest model of the iphone (or android depending on the year) every single year. I can afford to do so and enjoy tinkering with gadgets as a hobby.

I have a 12 Pro Max currently and didn't upgrade last year or this year. Both years I looked at what was offered and thought to myself "meh." There simply wasn't any new feature that made it worth the hassle of pre-ordering then moving all my stuff to the new phone and/or shipping the old one back etc. For me it wasn't WORTH the hassle.

Each person will of course need to make that decision based on their own circumstance. To answer your question... yes I'd be willing to pay over 3k for a phone...which is my primary and most used computing device (by time spent), but only if it wowed me enough to move me from an already adequate device.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I have owned ever year’s new iphone and watch and will continue till I am dead.

 

[Sword86]

My son just bought a brand new Samsung 22 Ultra and thought absolutely nothing about it.
Something like $1800 CDN. I was astounded.....and not in a good way either.
I've been running a 2020 SE for about 1 1/2 years. I've decided I'm keeping it when my 2 years run out in March. I love the size. I used to have a 6S+ and found it was not large enough, (not a tablet) and too large as a pocket device. I traded in a 7 last time and got hosed. (IMO) My SE's battery is at 90%. I'll decide then. I'll drop $32 off my bill in March. That leaves me to pay $53/month (tax in) for unlimited anytime calls in Canada, unlimited texting and 31G data. I suspect I'll be willing to do one battery change or simply pay outright for the latest SE or equivalent when the time comes. A cell phone is a necessity now, but a necessity I am simply not willing to pay big $ (IMO) for. It irks me to pay $73/month now. I went about 20 years where my job gave me a phone and paid the bills. Even now with no home phone, I can't stomach this bill. I have a 2020 MBA (i5 8g). That I might be willing to replace.
For the sake of this thread, call me one of the vast minority. S

 

[jaymc]

Three updated items recently released; normally would get them all ... but, now will keep my original AirPod Pros and WATCH 6 and upgrade from an iPhone 11 Pro to the 14 Pro.

 

[PlainBelliedSneetch]

It strikes me seeing people accepting buying a phone (Apple or any other company) for more than 1000€. Now with the new models a Pro 128GB is 1500€, which is absolutely insane. Maybe in 4 years the Pro Max base 256GB will be 2000€, yet still (some) people will buy it.

Doesnt matter if you pay it in 24/36 months. It is just TOO much.

I always wonder if these people who keep buying have 200.000$ per year jobs. Must be rich people, because anyone who is paying gas, electricity, food, rent or whatever surely can’t see this been right.

When will you stop?

Some people seem ok with paying 1.500€ for the 14 Pro Max. So, when will you stop?

I think the situation is different for those of us in the US. I buy a new 256GB iPhone each year. The price has stayed mostly the same (XS $1149, 11P $1149, 12P $1099, 13P $1099, 14P $1099). We don’t have the issue with currency fluctuations and the US is Apple’s primary market where it has larger scale and lower cost of doing business. It is a surprise they didn’t have to raise the price this year due to inflation. Probably helps that they don’t include the power adapter anymore. To answer your question, I believe Apple will continue to target this price point with possible adjustments due to inflation. So, I will continue to buy one each year as long as they continue to add incremental changes at the same inflation adjusted price. FYI, 200K in California isn’t what I would call rich.

 

[lkalliance]

This thread topic made me think a little bit. What have I paid for iPhones? I don't have a record any more of what I paid for my OG iPhone or my 3GS, but since then...

--2011: around $200 for my 4S
--2013: $130 for my 5c
--2016: $535 for my SE
--2020: $480 for my SE 2020
--2022: $1065 for my 13 mini

Those prices are affected by trade-ins, and include Apple Care as well. I'm feeling pretty good about it actually. That comes to around $220 a year, which will go down as I put years on the 13 mini. The mini was my biggest purchase, but it was also the closest I'd come to a top-of-the-line phone in over a decade.

 

[tis]

This thread topic made me think a little bit. What have I paid for iPhones? I don't have a record any more of what I paid for my OG iPhone or my 3GS, but since then...

--2011: around $200 for my 4S
--2013: $130 for my 5c
--2016: $535 for my SE
--2020: $480 for my SE 2020
--2022: $1065 for my 13 mini

Those prices are affected by trade-ins, and include Apple Care as well. I'm feeling pretty good about it actually. That comes to around $220 a year, which will go down as I put years on the 13 mini. The mini was my biggest purchase, but it was also the closest I'd come to a top-of-the-line phone in over a decade.

Generally, you can spend $200-ish on average per year and have a new Pro model every two years after the initial outlay in the first year. You seem to be buying lower end devices, but you are still spending the same amount. You might want to rethink your choices and do the math.

 

[James3000]

I don't think these prices are too expensive to be honest. This is the most important device in my life, I use it every day and I will keep it for maybe 4-5 years.

£1200 is a good price for an iPhone 14 Pro relative to other expenditures in my life. Maybe relative to other competitors it's expensive (I genuinely don't know, I assume not). I would pay £1750 (2000 euros?) today if there was a (significantly) thinner and lighter model.

I don't really understand the shock and outrage at these prices. Obviously it would be nice if they were cheaper but if there was ever anything I'd be happy to spend a bit extra on for improved quality it would be my smartphone.

Plenty of people out there driving nice cars.

 

[thefourthpope]

I do nearly as much work on my phone as on my laptop (not talking quality or complexity, but constant things like calendars and email and slack and task management and budgeting and notes and basic documents and MacRumors etc) so I look at my iPhone very much like a computer.

I tend to keep a laptop 4-5 years, and spend the last year of its usefulness saving for the next. That’s been my pattern for a few cycles now, though lately work has helped out.

With that in mind, I could easily justify spending $2k on a phone. It’s a crucial tool for my work and life.

Anyway, this was my plan until I held a 13 mini in my hands. Now $699 sounds just right and I have convinced myself that anyone who would pay more is a sucker.

 

[shoppy]

I have been buying apple products since 1999 back them my 17” PowerBook cost me £3k plus. So the 16” MacBook Pro seems reasonable to me.

Same with the phone it’s gone up but it has features I would like and I don’t have to lug my SLR around. So again worth it for me.

Do I need to upgrade every year no. But I do as I like the latest. Completely stupid I know.

 

[hellopupy]

I think the OP does make a valid point though everybody has their own financial situation and how/why they prioritize spending x amount of money for a supercomputer in their pocket.

For example, most people dont need 1TB, and its likely only the professional photographers/videographers that actually use this phone to produce content, and those are not the bulk of whats selling.

I admit 2000 would be a lot, will we ever get there? Maybe if this gov keeps printing money and inflation doesn't stop, we will definitely see a price spike sooner or later, we are lucky there was no price increase between 2021 and 2022. But I doubt Apple is trying to alienate most of the customer base because its definitely not the rich that makes them money, the bread and butter is still the middle class.

 

[babyexercise]

The biggest problem there is no reasonable price option except SE now, 12/13/14 prices are so closed, either buy 14 or not buy.

 

[TightLines]

The biggest problem there is no reasonable price option except SE now, 12/13/14 prices are so closed, either buy 14 or not buy.

The 13 mini just because they are no longer offering the mini form factor… as soon as those drop in price im getting 2 just for insurance purposes on my current phone... and then will sell them for the going rate at a later time after they’ve served their purpose….

 

[Reno Raines]

For me I reached that point years ago. I still use an 8 plus daily. When I have wanted to upgrade I have purchased the SE phones. I am not a power user so that price point works for me. I am glad Apple gives me that option.

 

[Kuskah]

Are you okay paying 2000€ for a phone?

No.

That's why I got the 13 Pro now to last me another couple of years and maybe then, in 2025/26 the EUR prices will be more reasonable in relation to monthly salaries.

Could I afford the 14 Pro / Pro Max? Yes. Am I willing to blow that much on a phone, more than on my MacBook? Nah.

 

[Puonti]

The price of an iPhone (or iPad, Mac, etc) doesn't exist in a vacuum, so it's hard to say where I'd draw the line. There definitely is a line for me, it's just not defined solely by sticker price. Assuming I can make a case for updating in the first place (new features, availability of software updates, meeting current needs, needing a replacement, etc):

1. How am I and those I need to care for doing financially at the time? Am I meeting and exceeding my financial goals, or am I behind and need to catch up? Am I experiencing or do I expect financial uncertainty or increased cost of living I haven't prepared for? What's "expensive" for me in this product category right now?

2. Can I pay for it out-of-pocket without carrier subsidies, monthly payments, paying interest, or sharing private information unnecessarily?

3. What's the current price-per-day-of-use (or ownership) for my previous purchase in the category? Have I gotten enough value for my money out of it? Can I reasonably expect to get similar value-for-money out of the new product, either through a lower sticker price or extended useful life? Is the new product replacing a product in a different category with different value expectations?

Without going into details as to why, I would not buy a 2000€ phone right now.

 

[philippe2014]

How much do you pay for the monthly service over the 24/30 mos it takes to recover those trade-in credits?

Hi 2000 euros not even in a dream especially for a phone it's nonsense, an imac a Macbook ok.
But for an iphone it's way too much it becomes nonsense.Currently I shoot with a 12 everything is fine and good enough.

 

[John981]

The monthly prices are the same regardless of whether you get the free phones or not. I'm sure it's baked into the prices, but you pay the same whether or not you opt to get a free phone.

I have 7 lines (4 phones and 3 watches) and pay $220 total with taxes. Unlimited talk and data. With free HBO+.

I understand treating yourself to new gadgets, but it's absolutely insane to me that you pay $220 / month and think you're getting a free phone.

You could absolutely get a cheaper contract if you'd look for it. I pay 10€ per month for my cell service including data, and while I could get a phone "for free" with a contract, that would obviously result in a more expensive monthly price. I have friends who do this and pay 50€ per month, which is fine, but they're not getting a "free" phone - they're financing it.

 

[Bodhitree]

I paid €1159 for my 13 Pro last year, and plan to use it for 6 years, if my track record holds up. I used my 4 for 6 years, my 7 for 5 years, so that sounds about right. So that’s roughly €200 a year, or €17 per month. That’s still affordable for me, even without much of an income.

I have a sim-only plan for €11 a month for unlimited calls and texts and 5 GB of 4G data, which is more than I need, so my phone costs me a combined €28 a month.

If I look at what I get for that… phone, portable calender and contacts, internet in my pocket, gps and maps, music, notes, banking. It’s really the one essential device. I use my ipad more, but my iphone is more essential to me.

 

[russell_314]

You don’t understand the question. When will YOU stop?

You like spending your money on apple gadgets? That’s ok. When will YOU stop if prices keep getting bigger?

THATS my question to people like you.

I’m sure there’s a point but it’s not even close yet. Prices of everything have gone up like crazy. The price of Apple’s products has been relatively stable by comparison. I just bought a $1200 iPhone but I’m getting $720 back for my old one.

Perhaps your issue is prices going up in Europe and the rest of the world. Don’t blame Apple for this. It’s a global economy thing due to the value of the US Dollar vs other currencies.

Also you don’t have to buy the most expensive model available. This is why Apple sells different models for different budgets. Just because a car dealership has a $100,000 car on the lot doesn’t mean you can’t buy one for $30,000

 

[Zest28]

Someone has to pay all the laywer costs that the EU is causing.

And Apple needs to reduce it’s market share as EU thinks Apple is a monopolist, else the EU will cry more about Apple.

 

[hagjohn]

It strikes me seeing people accepting buying a phone (Apple or any other company) for more than 1000€. Now with the new models a Pro 128GB is 1500€, which is absolutely insane. Maybe in 4 years the Pro Max base 256GB will be 2000€, yet still (some) people will buy it.

Doesnt matter if you pay it in 24/36 months. It is just TOO much.

I always wonder if these people who keep buying have 200.000$ per year jobs. Must be rich people, because anyone who is paying gas, electricity, food, rent or whatever surely can’t see this been right.

When will you stop?

Some people seem ok with paying 1.500€ for the 14 Pro Max. So, when will you stop?

I think most people are selling/trading in their old phones, so you really aren't paying the full price.

 

[4389842]

most people aren't paying anywhere close to full price. here in the US, the carrier trade-in deals almost make it stupid NOT to trade in. get a brand new phone for $0? (or a couple hundred if you have an older one) why not?

It is not 0 dollars: the price of you subscription is just massively inflated to account for the device cost + the carrier makes money reselling the device you hand in.

You did not honest think the carriers are in the business of doing you favors, right?