Tim Cook addresses iPhone pricing.

KHarvey16 · Sep 15, 2018

PSqueak said:
The fuck are you talking about? That's not my opinion at all, my opinion is that Cook is being a shameless greedy CEO and Apple has too many anti consumer practices.

I repeat, you need to chill.

You think he can sell it to people because they're too stupid to realize it's not good and they don't need it. Phones aren't drugs and don't form a chemical dependence. You're saying consumers are mindless.

You need to actually think about what you're saying.

Deleted member 6573 · Sep 15, 2018

reKon · Sep 15, 2018

Kthulhu said:
Honestly, more people should do this. Electronic waste is a huge problem, and it'd be great if people held onto their phones until they either stopped being supported or were broken beyond repair.

I've taken outdated electionics to Best Buy and they have helped me recycle them.

Jazzy · Sep 15, 2018

I don't like iPhones so I don't buy them. I buy a competitor product. I hope Apple keeps raising their prices to see how far this rabbit hole goes.

subpar spatula · Sep 15, 2018

PSqueak said:
True, the're still kinda scummy practices, other companies also doing it doesn't mean Apple doing it is okay, it just reflects, like others have said, capitalism hell D:

What should they be doing, then? The prices are reasonable for those who actually want to purchase them. If they become unreasonable then they change it up.

Deleted member 1635 · Sep 15, 2018

PersonAndStuff said:
Apple pretending like they're an artisinal phone company.

They kind of are at this point... There's so little that one can do to differentiate a high-end smartphone in 2018 that you sort of have to take that direction.

Zojirushi · Sep 15, 2018

I mean yeah, they're a publicly traded company and have to squeeze as much out of their customers as possible. As luck would have it their customers are mostly rich. That's how luxury pricing works.

whatsinaname · Sep 15, 2018

They do have innovation. And do provide value (different people value different things). But it always comes down to what people are willing to pay. We can't expect companies to just give us BOM + marketing + 5% profit.

reKon said:
Xiaomi is like the Anti-Apple in terms of pricing. Boy is it going to sucks for Samsung & Huawei if Xiaomi breaks into the US market.

This Xiaomi who is putting adds in their settings screen?

AyaisMUsikWhore · Sep 15, 2018

He's basically exploiting his userbase and they love that so why not? I would do the same thing?

I'm not gonna say they haven't upgrade aspects of certain things, but every year, there isn't a huge upgrade like the 7 to the X that apple is doing to justify the price of their product. But it is what is, let apple fans eat.

Tagyhag · Sep 15, 2018

Wait, what exactly is revolutionary about the new phones that they charge such an amount? Like, what is in the revolutionary 256gb that makes it cost $200?

Also, lol at "reasonable business" like they're some sort of mom and pop shop. There's a reason why they're valued so high. The profit margins must be insane.

Apple has good phones, and I'm not going to judge anyone that buys these, especially considering how integral phones are to our lives.

But I will judge anyone that buys into this PR bullshit. You're too far gone if you do.

Deleted member 10060 · Sep 15, 2018

People should try to live without a smartphone for a month or two, and they'd be amazed at how little it actually adds to, or simplifies their life.

Drifters_ · Sep 15, 2018

yeah the new iPhones and their pricing aren't worth the price of entry imo. I'm surprised they aren't going for a moon shot on 5 day battery life like we had heard about a few years back.

Kthulhu · Sep 15, 2018

reKon said:
Xiaomi is like the Anti-Apple in terms of pricing. Boy is it going to sucks for Samsung & Huawei if Xiaomi breaks into the US market.

Huawei probably won't anytime soon. They've gotten a lot of flack from the US government because their hardware is a big security risk.

Kieli · Sep 15, 2018

PersonAndStuff said:
Apple pretending like they're an artisinal phone company.

Well, they're a status brand. All the rich people are busting iPhones and Macbook Pros.

tuxfool · Sep 15, 2018

Aquamarine said:
Apple has $32 billion in un-invested cash just sitting in bank vaults. That's an increase from $20 billion a year ago.

They have $211 billion in cash invested in securities...not even related to their business...just raking in passive income. They have so much cash they don't know what to do with it.

There's cutting margin in a small business and then there's excessive greed in a trillion-dollar megacorp that's done just for the sake of it. Apple is so fucking wealthy it's absurd. It would be nice if they sacrificed a little bit of margin here and there. But nope, poor Apple is "forced to raise prices." Get out of here with that.

And thus, greed is an inherent danger of capitalism when companies get too large. Shareholders don't give a fuck that Apple is screwing over customers. In fact, they encourage it.

I'm not complicit Apple's ever-growing greed and complacency. But it can be a bait and switch when people invest so much of their time and money into the Apple ecosystem...and then Apple doesn't accommodate them in the slightest. They hold an important role in serving as a platform for millions of people's daily lives. They least they could do is keep prices the same.

They could, but those are their biggest customers. At some point people should exercise some self-control.

Personally I don't get completely wrapped up in an ecosystem without having at least one way out.

Interestingly, Apple is one of those companies that is utterly hostile to interoperability for this reason. So I'm perfectly happy to use macOS, but fuck getting stuck in iOS land.

Mammoth Jones · Sep 15, 2018

KHarvey16 said:
You both sound like miserable people.

Seriously. Jaded as fuck. Grow up.

Carolina Reaper said:
Your phone makes you happy? And lol at "not motivated by reasoning". Sure.

It makes me happier than I would be without. 100% facts.

I've done my commute for years before smartphones and after. You're full of shit if you don't see how a quality smartphone greatly alleviates much of the tedium a long public transit commute contains.

PSqueak · Sep 15, 2018

KHarvey16 said:
You think he can sell it to people because they're too stupid to realize it's not good and they don't need it. Phones aren't drugs and don't form a chemical dependence. You're saying consumers are mindless.

You need to actually think about what you're saying.

You read minds now? i gotta say you must be reading someone else's because your alleged reading of my mind is far off. at no point i said nor implied anything you're saying, i have never argued against the fact that people being able to spend their money on this being willing to continue, i have been entirely focused on the statement being so cartoonishly greedy and the fact that it's made look worse on top of Apple's anti consumer tendencies, i have not once said apple consumers are morons, and me saying the "cult of apple" was intentional hyperbole as a reply to your hyperbolic "miserable people" comment.

You're making too many assumptions and seem disproportionally upset.

Vilix · Sep 15, 2018

Carolina Reaper said:
"They're addicted. We take advantage of that addiction."

Should've been first post.

random88 · Sep 15, 2018

The pinnacle of consumerism.

Honestly, I never saw a point in spending more than 200$ for a phone. Actually, I did in the period when first smartphones came out, lower range models were kinda shitty. But now... You can do absolutely everything with a 150-200$ phone (Xiaomi A1 for example).

ruggiex said:
Apple products is almost like a fashion statement nowadays. They know they can get away with it so they do not much there to explain lol.

Almost? They've been that since the beginning.

Darknight · Sep 15, 2018

dallow_bg said:
I did, but for people specifically stuck in the Apple ecosystem there are options as well.

But the entry price point has gone up by $100, so those who feel stuck are still affected.

KHarvey16 · Sep 15, 2018

PSqueak said:
You read minds now? i gotta say you must be reading someone else's because your alleged reading of my mind is far off. at no point i said nor implied anything you're saying, i have never argued against the fact that people being able to spend their money on this being willing to continue, i have been entirely focused on the statement being so cartoonishly greedy and the fact that it's made look worse on top of Apple's anti consumer tendencies, i have not once said apple consumers are morons, and me saying the "cult of apple" was intentional hyperbole as a reply to your hyperbolic "miserable people" comment.

You're making too many assumptions and seem disproportionally upset.

I think you're realizing your position is silly and are trying to back away from it.

bye · Sep 15, 2018

Carolina Reaper said:
"They're addicted. We take advantage of that addiction."

I mean this works if there aren't countless cheap Android phones out there

-JD- · Sep 15, 2018

Bring on the competition!

Rendering... · Sep 15, 2018

iPhones do provide a lot of value, but they haven't been innovative for years now. Their price is inflated for sure.

dallow_bg · Sep 15, 2018

Darknight said:
But the entry price point has gone up by $100, so those who feel stuck are still affected.

Up from what?

Aftervirtue · Sep 15, 2018

Corporate shills out in full force I see.

bye · Sep 15, 2018

PersonAndStuff said:
Apple pretending like they're an artisinal phone company.

They literally are lmao

PSqueak · Sep 15, 2018

KHarvey16 said:
I think you're realizing your position is silly and are trying to back away from it.

I havent backed away from anything, you seem to be on your own little version of this thread.

subpar spatula said:
What should they be doing, then? The prices are reasonable for those who actually want to purchase them. If they become unreasonable then they change it up.

Maybe better priced entry point options? As people have brought up, even their entry point options are becoming more expensive (tho i guess is better than going back to no entry point options).

tuxfool · Sep 15, 2018

bye said:
I mean this works if there aren't countless cheap Android phones out there

Heroin users aren't going to go to another drug while heroin is still available, or if they don't know better.

Darknight · Sep 15, 2018

dallow_bg said:
Up from what?

The entry level iPhone last year was $350. That is now $450.

Carolina Reaper · Sep 15, 2018

bye said:
I mean this works if there aren't countless cheap Android phones out there

The addiction isn't just having a phone. Although phones in general are also an addiction for many.

Aftervirtue · Sep 15, 2018

Einherjar said:
People should try to live without a smartphone for a month or two, and they'd be amazed at how little it actually adds to, or simplifies their life.

It's as if life didn't begin until 2007 for some people.

Mammoth Jones · Sep 15, 2018

tuxfool said:
Heroin users aren't going to go to another drug while heroin is still available, or if they don't know better.

I think when you need to compare a phone to heroin you've lost any debate you're having...

bye · Sep 15, 2018

tuxfool said:
Heroin users aren't going to go to another drug while heroin is still available, or if they don't know better.

That analogy is terrible. The reasons people get 'addicted' to cell phones does not vary between make and model, they all do the same things and provide the same benefits to our lives. The reason people are willing to pay more for Apple phones is not because of this addiction but rather the differences between theirs and the competition; be it aesthetics, fastest phones on the market, ease of use, etc.

And cellphone addiction is habitual at best and nowhere near as strong as heroin, give me a break.

Bakercat · Sep 15, 2018

"People keep throwing money at us no matter the price, so we inflate prices for mass profit."

At least they're honest

tuxfool · Sep 15, 2018

Mammoth Jones said:
I think when you need to compare a phone to heroin you've lost any debate you're having...

I didn't start this analogy.

Nonetheless, it is a perfectly cogent argument, it isnt about the drug specifically. Smartphone addiction is very much a real thing.

Grow up.

reKon · Sep 15, 2018

Jazzy said:
I don't like iPhones so I don't buy them. I buy a competitor product. I hope Apple keeps raising their prices to see how far this rabbit hole goes.

I said multiple times on these boards that Apple is to have a config that cost $1,600 (w tax). They didn't disappoint, lol. I'm with Warren. Apple is undervalued. They can pretty much do whatever the fuck they want because of payment plans and people will always justify the cost because of how much they use it as a major part of their lives. Think about all the options they have at their disposal to make money in the future. They already broke the $1,000 cell phone barrier. They're providing a good product that people are sastified with and have the brand power. Therefore even if there's an Android phone comes out that can do everything an iPhone can for 3x as less, it doesn't matter because:

1) it's not an iPhone
2) ecosystem

#2 is more important because if people are buying Air pods/Apple watches and are enjoying them, then people will stay locked in for decades or even a life time. Now if Apple raises the minimum price of the lowest end iPhone, that becomes the most important price point. Why? Because people will not want to give up using their AirPods / Apple Watch and the price just has to be relatively low enough to compete with Android high end..

That's all one side of it. The other side is the Apple Music and other subscription services that's making them bank.

So yep, Apple is probably undervalued still.

KHarvey16 · Sep 15, 2018

PSqueak said:
I havent backed away from anything, you seem to be on your own little version of this thread.

I see the thread very clearly. I think you respond and form responses without thinking and fill in the reasoning after. It's a hallmark of a poor argument. They're addicts! But I don't mean that as an insult. They're a cult! But I was just being hyperbolic. You want very badly to strongly believe a thing but you don't really know what and don't want anyone to argue against whatever nebulous critique you can't quite decide on yet.

Aftervirtue · Sep 15, 2018

Mammoth Jones said:
I think when you need to compare a phone to heroin you've lost any debate you're having...

Have you read the statistics about smart phone addiction?

Obviously one medium is not like the other and it's not an argument I would utilize, but the highly addictive characteristics do tie them together in a small sense. Would you say it's concerning when companies are using (exploiting) psychological weaknesses to keep their consumer base in an endless consumption loop?

Wag · Sep 15, 2018

He could charge $2k for the Xs Max. People would probably buy it.

reKon · Sep 15, 2018

whatsinaname said:
They do have innovation. And do provide value (different people value different things). But it always comes down to what people are willing to pay. We can't expect companies to just give us BOM + marketing + 5% profit.

This Xiaomi who is putting adds in their settings screen?

Why are you telling me this?

Kay · Sep 15, 2018

Mammoth Jones said:
I think when you need to compare a phone to heroin you've lost any debate you're having...

Not really. Consumerism is by design drug like and can be just as dangerous to vulnerable people

tuxfool · Sep 15, 2018

bye said:
That analogy is terrible. The reasons people get 'addicted' to cell phones does not vary between make and model, they all do the same things and provide the same benefits to our lives. The reason people are willing to pay more for Apple phones is not because of this addiction but rather the differences between theirs and the competition; be it aesthetics, fastest phones on the market, ease of use, etc.

And cellphone addiction is habitual at best and nowhere near as strong as heroin, give me a break.

People gravitate to things they know. Likewise there are many recreational drugs, people will stick with the devil they know.

bye · Sep 15, 2018

Kay said:
Not really. Consumerism is by design drug like and can be just as dangerous to vulnerable people

This thread has just gotten gross. Out here comparing Apple customers to heroin addicts to own the Timz.

Chittagong · Sep 15, 2018

I am going to have my iPhone XS Max with a glass of champagne on Friday, Apple has earned their margin

Plotinus · Sep 15, 2018

JrBaconCheeseburger said:
"We always thought … that if you provide a lot of innovation and a lot of value, there is a segment of people who are willing to pay for it," Cook said. "For us, it's a large enough group of people that we can make a reasonable business out of it."

"A lot of things you were buying are now so convenient in one [gadget] and it has taken those things so much further than they could have ever ventured as a stand-alone device," he said. "The role of the iPhone has become much larger in people's lives."

It is kind of hilarious how meaningless most of this quote is. "If you provide a lot of innovation and a lot of value"? But... you don't. You provide minimal innovation and bad value-for-money. "A lot of things you were buying are now so convenient in one [gadget] and it has taken those things so much further than they could have ever ventured as a stand-alone device." Yeah, the original iPhone pretty much accomplished that. But that has little to do with any subsequent version of the iPhone. It has nothing to do with what you're doing now, Tim.

"There is a segment of people who are willing to pay for it," Cook said. "For us, it's a large enough group of people that we can make a reasonable business out of it." That should've been the whole quote.

EDIT: It is kinda weird how people in this thread are like, really, viscerally angry at Tim Cook though. He's definitely got a hustle going, but like, get over it? They sell $1,500 phones because people buy them. People who can't afford it can get perfectly functional Android phones for sub-$200, which is kinda the whole point. I don't see how Apple is hurting anyone specifically by overpricing their phones. The posters having a spittle-flecked nutty just come off as jealous.

dallow_bg · Sep 15, 2018

Darknight said:
The entry level iPhone last year was $350. That is now $450.

I'm not going to say that's unreasonable. It's a big screen size upgrade and still cheaper than original phones.

The SE is still available though for $350 from stores and carriers if people really want specific model.

Felt · Sep 15, 2018

People in this thread LOL basically "I love capitalism when it benefits me but if it benefits a company it sucks!"

Free market. Apple just produces a damn good phone/marketing/culture it owns the market. They could STILL raise the prices by 20% and nothing would change. Look at Amazon and Microsoft - their phones were just utterly destroyed to the point of nonexistence.

People don't get it. It's not a phone. Most people barely use the fucking cellular in their phone for calls LOL. It's like a hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. I use my phone for communication, media, knowledge, shopping, fitness, health (fuck mobile games tho). It's literally my life assistant. It holds information on my fuckin heart rate. I want Apple because I know that information is secure (at least WAY more secure than Android) and the quality of the phone is topnotch. Also, if anything goes wrong, there's an Apple store every where that has damn good customer service. Less tech savvy people can just stop by the Apple store in the mall and get help with trivial shit, it's unlike any other phone. They also last a damn long time. I have a 6s (3 years old now) and X, and 6s is going strong as F since they replaced the battery for free. The X is one year old, battery is 96% full charge compared to brand new.

Apple does a damn good job convincing people to upgrade every year (like the other thread) and I disagree with that practice but nonetheless. It's no surprise prices keep going up. No one is offering a better phone and better OS.

Kieli · Sep 15, 2018

Aftervirtue said:
Have you read the statistics about smart phone addiction?

Obviously one medium is not like the other and it's not an argument I would utilize, but the highly addictive characteristics do tie them together in a small sense. Would you say it's concerning when companies are exploiting psychological weaknesses to keep them in an endless consumption loop?

Am I supposed to care? If a bloke wants to waste $1500 every year on an iPhone XYZ to get his dopamine rush on September 12th, 20XX, why not?

It ain't as if this is gambling addiction where the individual has a very real chance of blowing out their life savings and need authoritative intervention and mental counseling.

We're talking about cell phones.....

PSqueak · Sep 15, 2018

Einherjar said:
People should try to live without a smartphone for a month or two, and they'd be amazed at how little it actually adds to, or simplifies their life.

I think you're severely underestimating how important staying connected has become for modern times.

KHarvey16 said:
I see the thread very clearly. I think you respond and form responses without thinking and fill in the reasoning after. It's a hallmark of a poor argument. They're addicts! But I don't mean that as an insult. They're a cult! But I was just being hyperbolic. You want very badly to strongly believe a thing but you don't really know what and don't want anyone to argue against whatever nebulous critique you can't quite decide on yet.

You have done nothing but projecting and getting disproportionately defensive the entire thread, tell yourself whatever you need to "feel better" at night, but i will not humor you, go ahead and tell yourself "you won" this arguement, that will make you feel better regardless of reality.

Tim Cook addresses iPhone pricing.

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