Inflation is a thing. You know gas, bread, milk, etc all cost more each year as well.
If gas was $6 a gallon, bread was $4 a loaf, and milk cost $6 a gallon right now, you would have a valid comparison. Unlike those commodity goods, consumer electronics typically go down in price over time. Cameras, televisions, hard disks, even drones just get getting cheaper and cheaper. Only Apple seems to be able to buck this trend. It will probably work for a few more years. But with higher prices you get more intense competition. It will be interesting to see where Apple is in 4-8 years when iPhone are more like the commodity goods you listed.
"A cell phone used to be just a wireless telephone. No longer. They are our ever-present personal computers. They are also our most important cameras (and often our only cameras). A decade ago, point-and-shoot cameras ran $200-400, easily. It’s your watch, it’s your alarm clock, it’s your Walkman, it’s your map and GPS. It’s your wallet full of photos of your family and friends. It’s also, increasing, your actual wallet.
If you took an iPhone XR back to 2006 people would be amazed. If you told them they could buy one for $750 they’d think you were lying.
On a related note, I would argue that iPhone prices aren’t really going up. Last year’s X and this year’s XS models are a new premium tier. The iPhone XR is the phone at the previous “regular” top-of-the-line tier. New top-tier iPhones used to cost $600-650, yes, and the iPhone XR starts at $750. But when you account for inflation that starting price is about the same. The iPhone 4 was introduced in June 2010 starting at $600. $600 in June 2010 dollars is about $700 today. That $600 got you a 16 GB iPhone in 2010. The 32 GB model cost $700. That’s about $810 in today’s dollars — $10 more than the price of a 128 GB iPhone XR, which I think is the sweet spot in the lineup for most people. Inflation adjusted, the iPhone XR is right in line with the iPhone 4 prices from 2010.
Considering how much more capable an iPhone XR is compared to an iPhone 4, I’d say $750 is an amazing bargain."
You have been drinking too much of the apple kool aid. The X range is not a super class tier at all. I have the Xs. It’s a great device but no better in real terms than my old 7 Plus was when that was released either in its flagship clothes. Its what I expect from apple’s best iPhone , as always. It’s not like it’s made of a special rare alloy or something. Hardwire wise , there is nothing that unique about it. Spec wise, many android phones come with as good sceeens and not memory for much less cost. It’s a solid device that Apple could have sold for a lot cheaper and still made a ton of money. But can’t really fault apple here if mugs like me are willing to spend a grand on it lol. Technology tends to get cheaper as the years go by not more expensive. (Think how DVD players got better and cheaper over the years). The iPhone is doing the opposite. That’s not good for us consumers. And whilst we could keep the device for 4 years , we probably won’t when we see what Apple releases in in the next two years (starting at just $1200 for the top tier!)
The issue at hand here is that you're placing an unreasonable criteria on Apple for determining value, there are no phones out there that satisfies your criteria of value as none of them possesses the attributes you've described e.g special rare alloy
Although it is true that you can find cheaper Android phones with good specifications, you ought to also understand that things cannot be compared that way, you can't isolate a specific component and compare that and extrapolate it, a phone is a highly integrated product and one needs to compare the entirety of the phone for any constructive discussion and that also means elements that aren't purely on spec sheets.
The concept of value is by nature highly subjective, someone can say that a Porsche is of bad value because you can find another car with similar horsepower for a fraction of the price; a michelin restaurant is of bad value because you can find another cafe that also serves foie gras; a designer label shirt is bad value because you can find a shirt in a discount shop that also uses 100% cotton; you possess bad value in your job because out there somewhere in the world there is someone who can do what you do for cheaper.
But you do understand why those comparisons are utterly disingenuous because for most of us iPhone users, the specs are just one element of the product and how we determine value isn't based entirely on the spec sheets.
I can't speak for the rest but I personally enjoy iOS's UX more than Android's and I certainly do appreciate the design/engineering details that goes into an iPhone, take for example the rounded corners of the Xr screen, for someone who doesn't care much about engineering, it would likely mean nothing to them but the display is impressive because of what Apple did (adjusting pixel size to make it possible for an LCD display to have a rounded corner with no light leak) or X/Xs's equal-bezel display, where they used a display larger than the dimensions of the phone and folded it onto itself in order to place the display controller behind the display instead of above/below the display in all other phones (hence the existence of a top/bottom bezel in android phones) ; So even though there are cheaper phones with similar specs on the spec sheets, it is cheaper exactly because those phones does not care as much about the design/engineering and UX.
Technology does not get cheaper, stagnant/old technology does e.g your DVD player analogy, and we can all agree that the iPhone Xr packs a punch, its FaceID is undoubtedly the best in the market by a huge margin, its 7nm A12 processor beats out all other competition in the flagship phone space, its camera & ISP is one of the best in the market, I'd agree that the iPhone Xr is a rip-off if it uses last gen components but thats obviously not the case.
Hence my point simply is that to each their own, we as humans are intrinsically different, we have our own value system and its important to respect the differences of each and everyone of us, what you deem as the sole measure of value to you isn't the same as that to another person and that is perfectly fine.
At €879 for a 64 GB LCD iPhone, I'm going to say it does not bring value. What it does however it bring the price of iPhones higher than last year. Higher and higher. What Apple has actually done in the past two years is of benefit mostly to shareholders. And the spoiled kids of rich people.
Apple's obligation is to its shareholders (i.e., its owners). It makes no sense to criticize a company for benefiting its shareholders. More logical, if accurate, would be a criticism that price increases hurt shareholders by reducing profits.
Appel is a typical corporation, yes. My criticism is of the word "value" used in the title of the article. It's a very expensive phone.
Another person who doesn’t know the difference between “value” and “cheap”. What’s in the water where you live?
The new XR and the XS phones and future iPhones may take away color too.. This new move to face id and all the sensors on the front of phone means that the era of phones with a white face may be over! It is probably a safe bet that Apple will very soon within a year or so begin phase out of iPhone 8, after all this will show everyone that their face id is great and they were right about it and will simplify the product line by having everyone use their face id. it's just shame that the white face iPhones will be no more. So, now we enter an era of all black face phones.
At €879 for a 64 GB LCD iPhone, I'm going to say it does not bring value. What it does however it bring the price of iPhones higher than last year. Higher and higher. What Apple has actually done in the past two years is of benefit mostly to shareholders. And the spoiled kids of rich people.
Good news! The iPhone 7 is what, $499? "Value" very much depends on who's making the assessment.
Mike great review ... but it leaves me with more questions than answers, I really like my iPhone 7 Plus and wonder if this is worth an upgrade? Cost isn't an issue I just don't buy things I don't need and all I do is read Safari and Mail when in waiting rooms or use it as a phone (quaint eh? lol) although truth be told I use my Watch more for that these days and an Watch v4 is on the way. The iPhone's man use for me is wirelessly pairing and enabling my Car Play to be honest. Now, on the other hand, a new Mac Pro is a definite yes. I carry my Sony A7 III most everywhere so I'm not worried about camera features on a phone either. So ... I am trying hard to think of a reason to go for a newer model iPhone. I suspect once it can't run the lastest iOS that will be my trigger.
Yes, with iPhones lasting longer now -- getting away from the 2 year cycle, who wants to sink a grand into soon to be obsolete technology?
Perhaps this is where Apple's Upgrade/leasing program provides a real advantage?
You write: For a start, the resolution of 1,792 by 828 pixels is a lot lower than the Super Retina versions in the XS and Max. This also brings the pixel density down to 326 pixels per inch versus the 458ppi of the other two variants, which may seem disappointing.
You can’t fairly compare pixel resolution between the two technologies. The OLED is pentile which means the resolution only applies to the green color and those green sub-pixels share very, very low resolution red and blue sub-pixels.
In fact, the lower resolution LCD display on the XR has MORE sub-pixels per inch (978) than the Super Retina Displays on the XS and XS Max. (916)
Above 150-200 pixels per inch, the human eye cannot discern the difference, unless a person has 1-inch thick reading glasses, I wouldn't worry about it.
Well I can certainly see the difference between my XS screen and the wife’s 7 . It’s night and day in terms of how good text looks on the XS compared to the 7’s 326ppi LCD. Just go to the store and look. Stating academic fact means nothing when the difference is literally staring you in the eyes. It’s even noticeable on the 7 plus at 401ppi compared to the 7. Stating otherwise is just simply incorrect... otherwise Apple wouldn’t bother with anything greater than 200ppi if you were right.
I have compared them and I only see a difference with videos. Looking at text, I can't tell the difference.
At €879 for a 64 GB LCD iPhone, I'm going to say it does not bring value. What it does however it bring the price of iPhones higher than last year. Higher and higher. What Apple has actually done in the past two years is of benefit mostly to shareholders. And the spoiled kids of rich people.
Good news! The iPhone 7 is what, $499? "Value" very much depends on who's making the assessment.
Actually, that two year old 32 GB iPhone starts at €539 here. But I’m clearly talking about new iPhones continually increasing in price. And the reality is at a certain point value doesn’t depends on who’s asking. €50 toilet roll is €50 toilet roll, and a new LCD phone that starts at almost €900 starts at almost €900. Shareholders, apologists, people with a lot of money and Apple bloggers—very few other people defend these price increases. It’s telling that Apple execs are all multi-millionaires. I’m not denying Apple make good hardware, I’m just pointing an awareness to the reality of new iPhones continually increasing in price.
I feel your pain. It's a legitimate complaint.
But, there is (as always) another side to that story: The iPhone has become so potent and powerful that it has, for many replaced the need for separate cameras, landlines and even desktops and laptops (or at least pushed them into to background).
So, yes! That's a ridiculous amount of money for s stupid, damn phone -- until you realize how much it's saving you!
Or until you realize it’s not a phone. It can do phone jobs, but these are computers, cameras, scanners, etc. Should be pretty obvious by now.
Good point and well said but: Uh, well, that's what I said!
At €879 for a 64 GB LCD iPhone, I'm going to say it does not bring value. What it does however it bring the price of iPhones higher than last year. Higher and higher. What Apple has actually done in the past two years is of benefit mostly to shareholders. And the spoiled kids of rich people.
No, it really doesn't bring the price of iPhones higher at least in this country. And no, most people who own Apple products aren't the spoiled kids of rich people.
I don't know why some people bother posting comments.
The question i have is...why do we all expect prices to stay the same? For example, let’s look at cars. Does a 2019 Toyota Camry cost the same as a 2018 Camry? No. And a lot of the time, there are not even any changes to a car from year to year, yet prices go up by $500 or more.
Comparing Xs to X, Apple improved slightly the display, improved slightly the speakers, made HUGE improvement to the camera with new hardware and software, and made HUGE improvement to the processor.........YET, kept the prices the exactly the same!! Who does that?!
Does OnePlus (the Walmart of smartphones) keep prices the same from year to year? Does Samsung? Does Pixel??
Answer: No. No. No. YET, some here complain endlessly about Apple prices...and yet Apple is the ONLY one that have kept prices the same from last year despite HUGE improvement overall to the phone!
In fact, i would argue that Apple was quite generous in keeping Xs prices the same as X!!!
Xr is just a great value, even when compared with Android. Top notch camera and processor with 5+ years of FULL software support and great customer service. Oh and that resale value of iPhones is class-leading by a large margin...which should take into account the initial cost of purchase.
I have a 4K smart TV that cost me about half what I paid for my first flat screen TV. Apple’s iPhone are more expensive because they can be. Apple knows most people aren’t buying the phone outright but paying over time. Adding $200 to the price of the phone doesn’t add that much to a monthly payment.
Oh man that’s so boneheaded. You must not work with technology... A TV is way less complicated than a minuturized computer. Most TVs are the same commodity panels and little more, while iphones have tons of tech and new layers and things every year.
So how is Apple able to sell a brand new iPad for $329? How were they able to sell new phones in the past without raising the price? How come the 2010 MacBook Air was better and cheaper than the 2008 model?
I have a 4K smart TV that cost me about half what I paid for my first flat screen TV. Apple’s iPhone are more expensive because they can be. Apple knows most people aren’t buying the phone outright but paying over time. Adding $200 to the price of the phone doesn’t add that much to a monthly payment.
Oh man that’s so boneheaded. You must not work with technology... A TV is way less complicated than a minuturized computer. Most TVs are the same commodity panels and little more, while iphones have tons of tech and new layers and things every year.
So how is Apple able to sell a brand new iPad for $329? How were they able to sell new phones in the past without raising the price? How come the 2010 MacBook Air was better and cheaper than the 2008 model?
IPad $329 comes with some compromises...non-laminated display (less anti-reflection) and 2 years old processor. And this is why iPad Pro is so much more expensive.
I have a 4K smart TV that cost me about half what I paid for my first flat screen TV. Apple’s iPhone are more expensive because they can be. Apple knows most people aren’t buying the phone outright but paying over time. Adding $200 to the price of the phone doesn’t add that much to a monthly payment.
Oh man that’s so boneheaded. You must not work with technology... A TV is way less complicated than a minuturized computer. Most TVs are the same commodity panels and little more, while iphones have tons of tech and new layers and things every year.
So how is Apple able to sell a brand new iPad for $329? How were they able to sell new phones in the past without raising the price? How come the 2010 MacBook Air was better and cheaper than the 2008 model?
IPad $329 comes with some compromises...non-laminated display (less anti-reflection) and 2 years old processor. And this is why iPad Pro is so much more expensive.
Yup. And it’s much bigger than a phone thus less constraints. The tech and miniaturization that goes into a phone-sized computer is amazing.
This person knows that tho, they’re just trolling over price, wants Apple to give him/her stuff for free because they’re rich, etc... Seen all the same comments before, never acknowledges the “why’s”
As a stockholder, I hope people still want "slab" phones worldwide, but I do not. The smaller phone is king for me.
I bought a Xr yesterday to replace my 7. I wasn’t sure about getting Face ID but I’ve found it really fast and almost never hesitates. In fact I found Touch ID more temperamental. It’s very impressive. The screen feels hugely superior to my 7, I don’t mind the bezels and I love the colours (I got blue - I always loved the Cyan of the Nokia Lumias). I was surprised that ios12 was meant to be an enhancing update - I still found it a bit clunky on the 7 but it zips along now. However, my one beef is the size. I can live with it but I really don’t want a handset this big. The dimensions of my 7 were about right and I’d like an all screen phone of that size. This also feels overly elongated. I’d like the same width but shorter height. This feels more like the 5 in ratio, which I found oddly proportioned for me until the 6. So yeah, slab is my only beef but happy with the rest. Especially the blue.
I have a 4K smart TV that cost me about half what I paid for my first flat screen TV. Apple’s iPhone are more expensive because they can be. Apple knows most people aren’t buying the phone outright but paying over time. Adding $200 to the price of the phone doesn’t add that much to a monthly payment.
Oh man that’s so boneheaded. You must not work with technology... A TV is way less complicated than a minuturized computer. Most TVs are the same commodity panels and little more, while iphones have tons of tech and new layers and things every year.
So how is Apple able to sell a brand new iPad for $329? How were they able to sell new phones in the past without raising the price? How come the 2010 MacBook Air was better and cheaper than the 2008 model?
IPad $329 comes with some compromises...non-laminated display (less anti-reflection) and 2 years old processor. And this is why iPad Pro is so much more expensive.
This person knows that tho, they’re just trolling over price, wants Apple to give him/her stuff for free because they’re rich, etc... Seen all the same comments before, never acknowledges the “why’s”
Exaggeration much? Nor do you acknowledge the "why's", apparently.
About the topic of the value of the iPhone vs. the competition, Android phones, there are several things to consider.
1. Ads vs. privacy. Data mining and selling ads subsidizes Android and the entire ecosystem. Apple can protect privacy better compared with the Google Android ecosystem because Apple does not depend on data mining and selling ads to exist.
- Android funnels users to Google services with its data mining and lack of privacy. If anyone here wants that, go ahead and buy a cheap Android phone.
Ad revenue isn’t an important income category for Apple (There is ad revenue from the Apple News app. But opting out of that is easy. I don’t use Apple News.)
A person can protect their privacy with an iPhone so that even law enforcement can have a difficult time as shown in a well known case.
- That’s why Apple can protect user privacy much better than Google. I choose privacy over “free” stuff using my data for ads and I’m willing to pay more for that.
2. OS updates; Android phones may offer 1 to 2 years of OS updates. That’s one reason many Android phones are very cheap because the user is pushed to buy another Android phone. If someone wants that, go ahead and get a cheap phone using Android. I have an iPhone 6. Apple is offering updates for 5 years. I’m still getting OS updates. I’m willing to pay more for that.
3. Customer service and tech support; For decades I’ve dealt with lousy tech support from companies which sell cheap products. If someone wants a cheap Android phone with bad customer service/tech support, go ahead and get it. Apple has outstanding support by phone. There are over 500 Apple Stores around the world which provide top notch in person tech support. All that costs money. I’m willing to pay more for that.
4. OLED vs LED. A good OLED panel is more expensive than a good LED panel. I’m not talking about the lousy Pixel 2 XL panels but the high quality OLED panels such as the ones made by Samsung. So, Apple’s OLED phones are a new category of device which is naturally more expensive. A better price comparison is between the iPhone 8 (LED) and the iPhone Xr (LED). They are comparable in price. If I want a cheaper iPhone, I could buy a 7 or 8.
If I decide to buy an OLED iPhone, I understand that the price of the high quality of the OLED panel itself will raise the price of the phone.
At €879 for a 64 GB LCD iPhone, I'm going to say it does not bring value. What it does however it bring the price of iPhones higher than last year. Higher and higher. What Apple has actually done in the past two years is of benefit mostly to shareholders. And the spoiled kids of rich people.
Good news! The iPhone 7 is what, $499? "Value" very much depends on who's making the assessment.
Mike great review ... but it leaves me with more questions than answers, I really like my iPhone 7 Plus and wonder if this is worth an upgrade? Cost isn't an issue I just don't buy things I don't need and all I do is read Safari and Mail when in waiting rooms or use it as a phone (quaint eh? lol) although truth be told I use my Watch more for that these days and an Watch v4 is on the way. The iPhone's man use for me is wirelessly pairing and enabling my Car Play to be honest. Now, on the other hand, a new Mac Pro is a definite yes. I carry my Sony A7 III most everywhere so I'm not worried about camera features on a phone either. So ... I am trying hard to think of a reason to go for a newer model iPhone. I suspect once it can't run the lastest iOS that will be my trigger.
Yes, with iPhones lasting longer now -- getting away from the 2 year cycle, who wants to sink a grand into soon to be obsolete technology?
Perhaps this is where Apple's Upgrade/leasing program provides a real advantage?
Even if 5G proves to be every bit as good as the phone companies suggest it will be, there's little reason to think it will be available so quickly that it will make phones bought today obsolete.
At €879 for a 64 GB LCD iPhone, I'm going to say it does not bring value. What it does however it bring the price of iPhones higher than last year. Higher and higher. What Apple has actually done in the past two years is of benefit mostly to shareholders. And the spoiled kids of rich people.
Good news! The iPhone 7 is what, $499? "Value" very much depends on who's making the assessment.
Mike great review ... but it leaves me with more questions than answers, I really like my iPhone 7 Plus and wonder if this is worth an upgrade? Cost isn't an issue I just don't buy things I don't need and all I do is read Safari and Mail when in waiting rooms or use it as a phone (quaint eh? lol) although truth be told I use my Watch more for that these days and an Watch v4 is on the way. The iPhone's man use for me is wirelessly pairing and enabling my Car Play to be honest. Now, on the other hand, a new Mac Pro is a definite yes. I carry my Sony A7 III most everywhere so I'm not worried about camera features on a phone either. So ... I am trying hard to think of a reason to go for a newer model iPhone. I suspect once it can't run the lastest iOS that will be my trigger.
Yes, with iPhones lasting longer now -- getting away from the 2 year cycle, who wants to sink a grand into soon to be obsolete technology?
Perhaps this is where Apple's Upgrade/leasing program provides a real advantage?
Even if 5G proves to be every bit as good as the phone companies suggest it will be, there's little reason to think it will be available so quickly that it will make phones bought today obsolete.
It doesn't -- if you only consider the state of the tech this time next year. But over the 5 year life of the phone, I wouldn't want to be saddled with a slow, obsolete, LTE phone
At €879 for a 64 GB LCD iPhone, I'm going to say it does not bring value. What it does however it bring the price of iPhones higher than last year. Higher and higher. What Apple has actually done in the past two years is of benefit mostly to shareholders. And the spoiled kids of rich people.
Good news! The iPhone 7 is what, $499? "Value" very much depends on who's making the assessment.
Mike great review ... but it leaves me with more questions than answers, I really like my iPhone 7 Plus and wonder if this is worth an upgrade? Cost isn't an issue I just don't buy things I don't need and all I do is read Safari and Mail when in waiting rooms or use it as a phone (quaint eh? lol) although truth be told I use my Watch more for that these days and an Watch v4 is on the way. The iPhone's man use for me is wirelessly pairing and enabling my Car Play to be honest. Now, on the other hand, a new Mac Pro is a definite yes. I carry my Sony A7 III most everywhere so I'm not worried about camera features on a phone either. So ... I am trying hard to think of a reason to go for a newer model iPhone. I suspect once it can't run the lastest iOS that will be my trigger.
Yes, with iPhones lasting longer now -- getting away from the 2 year cycle, who wants to sink a grand into soon to be obsolete technology?
Perhaps this is where Apple's Upgrade/leasing program provides a real advantage?
Even if 5G proves to be every bit as good as the phone companies suggest it will be, there's little reason to think it will be available so quickly that it will make phones bought today obsolete.
This. Most estimates say it will be at *least* 2 years before its widely available. Beyond that, I have yet to see any compelling reason to think 5G will give a significant benefit to the average cell phone user beyond 4G LTE. I think it’s more an issue of having a phone that *has* the capability rather than actually having the ability to use the capability.
I have a 4K smart TV that cost me about half what I paid for my first flat screen TV. Apple’s iPhone are more expensive because they can be. Apple knows most people aren’t buying the phone outright but paying over time. Adding $200 to the price of the phone doesn’t add that much to a monthly payment.
Oh man that’s so boneheaded. You must not work with technology... A TV is way less complicated than a minuturized computer. Most TVs are the same commodity panels and little more, while iphones have tons of tech and new layers and things every year.
So how is Apple able to sell a brand new iPad for $329? How were they able to sell new phones in the past without raising the price? How come the 2010 MacBook Air was better and cheaper than the 2008 model?
IPad $329 comes with some compromises...non-laminated display (less anti-reflection) and 2 years old processor. And this is why iPad Pro is so much more expensive.
Yup. And it’s much bigger than a phone thus less constraints. The tech and miniaturization that goes into a phone-sized computer is amazing.
This person knows that tho, they’re just trolling over price, wants Apple to give him/her stuff for free because they’re rich, etc... Seen all the same comments before, never acknowledges the “why’s”
Yep I want Apple to give me free stuff. *rollseyes*
So I just left the Apple store after looking at the Xs and the Xr. They have them strategically placed on separate tables on opposite sides of the store (intentionally, according to one of the sales people,) so it’s impossible to make a direct side by side comparison, but after going back and forth a couple times, I think the vast majority of people would have a very difficult time noticing any difference in day to day use.
Just like Ike there are some audiophiles for whom a $5000 amp actually does make a difference, I’m sure there are some people that will notice the difference, but I’m willing to bet that there are far more people who pay more because they want a better display but would never notice the difference.
Comments
The issue at hand here is that you're placing an unreasonable criteria on Apple for determining value, there are no phones out there that satisfies your criteria of value as none of them possesses the attributes you've described e.g special rare alloy
Although it is true that you can find cheaper Android phones with good specifications, you ought to also understand that things cannot be compared that way, you can't isolate a specific component and compare that and extrapolate it, a phone is a highly integrated product and one needs to compare the entirety of the phone for any constructive discussion and that also means elements that aren't purely on spec sheets.
The concept of value is by nature highly subjective, someone can say that a Porsche is of bad value because you can find another car with similar horsepower for a fraction of the price; a michelin restaurant is of bad value because you can find another cafe that also serves foie gras; a designer label shirt is bad value because you can find a shirt in a discount shop that also uses 100% cotton; you possess bad value in your job because out there somewhere in the world there is someone who can do what you do for cheaper.
But you do understand why those comparisons are utterly disingenuous because for most of us iPhone users, the specs are just one element of the product and how we determine value isn't based entirely on the spec sheets.
I can't speak for the rest but I personally enjoy iOS's UX more than Android's and I certainly do appreciate the design/engineering details that goes into an iPhone, take for example the rounded corners of the Xr screen, for someone who doesn't care much about engineering, it would likely mean nothing to them but the display is impressive because of what Apple did (adjusting pixel size to make it possible for an LCD display to have a rounded corner with no light leak) or X/Xs's equal-bezel display, where they used a display larger than the dimensions of the phone and folded it onto itself in order to place the display controller behind the display instead of above/below the display in all other phones (hence the existence of a top/bottom bezel in android phones) ; So even though there are cheaper phones with similar specs on the spec sheets, it is cheaper exactly because those phones does not care as much about the design/engineering and UX.
Technology does not get cheaper, stagnant/old technology does e.g your DVD player analogy, and we can all agree that the iPhone Xr packs a punch, its FaceID is undoubtedly the best in the market by a huge margin, its 7nm A12 processor beats out all other competition in the flagship phone space, its camera & ISP is one of the best in the market, I'd agree that the iPhone Xr is a rip-off if it uses last gen components but thats obviously not the case.
Hence my point simply is that to each their own, we as humans are intrinsically different, we have our own value system and its important to respect the differences of each and everyone of us, what you deem as the sole measure of value to you isn't the same as that to another person and that is perfectly fine.
I don't know why some people bother posting comments.
Comparing Xs to X, Apple improved slightly the display, improved slightly the speakers, made HUGE improvement to the camera with new hardware and software, and made HUGE improvement to the processor.........YET, kept the prices the exactly the same!! Who does that?!
Does OnePlus (the Walmart of smartphones) keep prices the same from year to year? Does Samsung? Does Pixel??
Answer: No. No. No. YET, some here complain endlessly about Apple prices...and yet Apple is the ONLY one that have kept prices the same from last year despite HUGE improvement overall to the phone!
In fact, i would argue that Apple was quite generous in keeping Xs prices the same as X!!!
Xr is just a great value, even when compared with Android. Top notch camera and processor with 5+ years of FULL software support and great customer service. Oh and that resale value of iPhones is class-leading by a large margin...which should take into account the initial cost of purchase.
This person knows that tho, they’re just trolling over price, wants Apple to give him/her stuff for free because they’re rich, etc... Seen all the same comments before, never acknowledges the “why’s”
About the topic of the value of the iPhone vs. the competition, Android phones, there are several things to consider.
1. Ads vs. privacy. Data mining and selling ads subsidizes Android and the entire ecosystem. Apple can protect privacy better compared with the Google Android ecosystem because Apple does not depend on data mining and selling ads to exist.
- Android funnels users to Google services with its data mining and lack of privacy. If anyone here wants that, go ahead and buy a cheap Android phone.
Google’s mines data from “free” services like Gmail, Chrome, Google Maps & Google Drive. As a result Google makes most of its money from ads. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/020515/business-google.asp
https://bgr.com/2016/02/11/why-facebook-and-google-mine-your-data-and-why-theres-nothing-you-can-do-to-stop-it/
- Apple by contrast makes most of its money from hardware sales especially from the iPhone.
https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/04/08/how-apple-inc-makes-most-of-its-money.aspx
Ad revenue isn’t an important income category for Apple (There is ad revenue from the Apple News app. But opting out of that is easy. I don’t use Apple News.)
A person can protect their privacy with an iPhone so that even law enforcement can have a difficult time as shown in a well known case.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-wants-apple-to-help-unlock-iphone-used-by-san-bernardino-shooter/2016/02/16/69b903ee-d4d9-11e5-9823-02b905009f99_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e76c3cc2a0b8
- That’s why Apple can protect user privacy much better than Google. I choose privacy over “free” stuff using my data for ads and I’m willing to pay more for that.
2. OS updates; Android phones may offer 1 to 2 years of OS updates. That’s one reason many Android phones are very cheap because the user is pushed to buy another Android phone. If someone wants that, go ahead and get a cheap phone using Android. I have an iPhone 6. Apple is offering updates for 5 years. I’m still getting OS updates. I’m willing to pay more for that.
3. Customer service and tech support; For decades I’ve dealt with lousy tech support from companies which sell cheap products. If someone wants a cheap Android phone with bad customer service/tech support, go ahead and get it. Apple has outstanding support by phone. There are over 500 Apple Stores around the world which provide top notch in person tech support. All that costs money. I’m willing to pay more for that.
4. OLED vs LED. A good OLED panel is more expensive than a good LED panel. I’m not talking about the lousy Pixel 2 XL panels but the high quality OLED panels such as the ones made by Samsung. So, Apple’s OLED phones are a new category of device which is naturally more expensive. A better price comparison is between the iPhone 8 (LED) and the iPhone Xr (LED). They are comparable in price. If I want a cheaper iPhone, I could buy a 7 or 8.
If I decide to buy an OLED iPhone, I understand that the price of the high quality of the OLED panel itself will raise the price of the phone.
Just like Ike there are some audiophiles for whom a $5000 amp actually does make a difference, I’m sure there are some people that will notice the difference, but I’m willing to bet that there are far more people who pay more because they want a better display but would never notice the difference.