Tim Cook addresses iPhone pricing.

Sweeney Swift · Sep 16, 2018

OrdinaryPrime said:
Except Americans in general are in debt. And not even good debt like a mortgage on a property, but bad debt like CC debt.

One of those Americans in debt here, have been paying off student loans for years, will be for years more. I'm still treating myself to something nice or that I want occasionally. I got a new laptop this summer because my 6-year-old one broke that month. And I'm getting an iPhone on a payment plan sometime before my birthday in February, partially to replace a broken Android and partially so I can stay in better touch with some friends through FaceTime. I don't regret either of those one-time/non-regular things, even if the money could have been better used to help my situation by months

Deleted member 7148 · Sep 16, 2018

Isn't the Galaxy Note 9 $1000 too, with a high end model upwards to $1200? Did anybody give Samsung shit for that? (Not a rhetorical question at all)

Deleted member 2809 · Sep 16, 2018

Get people addicted to your shit then tax them harder and harder. Apple learning from pharma corps, good look.

BlastProcessing · Sep 16, 2018

Shugga said:
Get people addicted to your shit then tax them harder and harder. Apple learning from pharma corps, good look.

Do you think maybe it could be a little minimizing to people who deal with actual drug addictions to use it in this context?

And arguing inside of your paradigm, what is the alternative for Apple here? Should they get people addicted to their shit and then keep prices low to get more people addicted to their shit? Should they intentionally make less apealing products? What do you want out of them?

Particle Physicist · Sep 16, 2018

FaintDeftone said:
Isn't the Galaxy Note 9 $1000 too, with a high end model upwards to $1200? Did anybody give Samsung shit for that? (Not a rhetorical question at all)

I find it pretty hilarious how the Samsung phone prices are never really a point of contention. People love hating on Apple and people who like their products. It's weird.

Deleted member 45617 · Sep 16, 2018

Yeah, I just don't know anymore, if people want it, people will buy it, but the moves Apple itself makes are infuriatingly anti-consumer, the only normal thing they've done recently is the iPhone SE

That's it, one product out of many that was normally priced and not insulting, the Airpods were ok as well

grady · Sep 16, 2018

I don't think anyone can deny that the prices are spiralling out of control, no matter your opinion on whether iPhones are worth the money. I have an iPhone 7 Plus 128gb and that was something like £35 a month the year it came out. Now if I wanted something similar, their new flagship, I'd have to get a 256gb since they've eliminated the middle tier and that prices me out of buying one at around £58 a month minimum plus a deposit.

DanteLinkX · Sep 16, 2018

Megatherium said:
You remind me of those edgelords who wade into a political conversation with "both sides" and think they are clever or insightful. But really you're just spouting off the most cliche nonsense that doesnt apply to the real world.

Ether_Snake · Sep 16, 2018

Shugga said:
Get people addicted to your shit then tax them harder and harder. Apple learning from pharma corps, good look.

I knew we'd soon reach some sort of anti-vaccine type of argumentation.

JrBaconCheeseburger · Sep 16, 2018

Thirty7ven said:
I've met literally dozens of 20/30 year olds, who find themselves living with their parents or sharing a flat with multiple people, working shitty jobs for shitty pay, yet they find a way to get an Iphone and they wouldn't trade it for the world, so to speak.

Wow

Some people on ERA need to get off their high horse.

Deepwater said:
yall just don't like poor people with nice things and I wish you'd admit it.

LOL

subpar spatula · Sep 16, 2018

*types on overpriced keyboard and clicks reply on overpriced mouse while sitting in an expensive chair as I use my powerful expensive PC to argue about pricing online*

reKon · Sep 16, 2018

FaintDeftone said:
Isn't the Galaxy Note 9 $1000 too, with a high end model upwards to $1200? Did anybody give Samsung shit for that? (Not a rhetorical question at all)

Yes. A lot of tech journalists did give them shit about it and went as far as to say that while it's a great phone, you should just buy the Galaxy S9+ instead. I see the same shit in comments. What they don't recognize is that this phone is for people who only buy the Note line.

Additionally, to be fair, I think its much easier to sell someone upgrading to Galaxy Note 9 from their prior Note 8 compared to upgrading to an $1,000 iPhone XS from their prior iPhone, assuming that they are going for more power and versatility.

signal · Sep 16, 2018

subpar spatula said:
*types on overpriced keyboard and clicks reply on overpriced mouse while sitting in an expensive chair as I use my powerful expensive PC to argue about pricing online*

Excuse you my topre realforce was reasonably priced.

Kieli · Sep 16, 2018

Deepwater said:
yall just don't like poor people with nice things and I wish you'd admit it.

Word. Apple products are nice. They're sought after. If it wasn't worth the price, people wouldn't buy it.

Asserting "addiction to Apple phones" as if it's comparable to drug addiction, gambling addiction, alcohol addiction, video game addiction or whatever other serious forms of addiction has never made me roll my eyes harder.

ronco2000 · Sep 16, 2018

Deepwater said:
yall just don't like poor people with nice things and I wish you'd admit it.

That's why they're poor. Buy shit they can't afford.

Kieli · Sep 16, 2018

Aftervirtue said:
I own an IPhone myself, I'm just playing devils advocate here.

I'm actually speaking about the addictive content/apps on the platform itself, more so than the platform.

Ah, gotcha. Sorry if I came off harsh in my post because I misunderstood your point. You were talking in general about smartphone addiction, not specifically addiction to flagship Apple devices.

I think the condition of "being addicted to flagship Apple phones once per year" is a really, really dumb illness. But I absolutely agree with you that addiction to the smartphone platform that Apple (and Android) offers is very real and problematic. Just like being addicted to gambling or video games or other virtual goods has an inarguable chemical effect on your brain.

Bluelote · Sep 16, 2018

I don't have any Apple products and would not buy them, but, their phone is one of the best, the best objectively in some areas, and they are the "coolest" most fashionable brand of phones... so yeah...
compared to famous clothing brands and that sort of BS, they are not exploiting their customers much,

I mean their team working o designing the SoC alone does a wonderful job.

subpar spatula · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
That's why they're poor. Buy shit they can't afford.

That's not how poor works.

ronco2000 · Sep 16, 2018

subpar spatula said:
That's not how poor works.

Well that's how you stay poor.

leng jai · Sep 16, 2018

Particle Physicist said:
I find it pretty hilarious how the Samsung phone prices are never really a point of contention. People love hating on Apple and people who like their products. It's weird.

Except a lot of people did give Samsung shit for the Note pricing and pretty much just said buy the S9 unless you have to have the S Pen.

subpar spatula · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
Well that's how you stay poor.

No it's not.

Brinbe · Sep 16, 2018

People are happy for it to be expensive because it definitely is a status symbol just like a lot of unnecessarily expensive product. It's a lifestyle. If everyone Joe Schmoe owned one, don't think people in here would be as happy about owning them.

ronco2000 · Sep 16, 2018

subpar spatula said:
No it's not.

Yes it is.

Dosia · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
Yes it is.

Correct

Deleted member 11626 · Sep 16, 2018

BlastProcessing said:
Do you think maybe it could be a little minimizing to people who deal with actual drug addictions to use it in this context?

And arguing inside of your paradigm, what is the alternative for Apple here? Should they get people addicted to their shit and then keep prices low to get more people addicted to their shit? Should they intentionally make less apealing products? What do you want out of them?

I'm not sure what answer they expect. Mine for data (that users opted out of) for the purpose of ad revenue in order to make the phones cheaper? It appears the point here is for them to hate Apple.

subpar spatula · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
Yes it is.

What do you have to support your position?

ronco2000 · Sep 16, 2018

subpar spatula said:
What do you have to support your position?

Well if you don't a have loan/debt then you're richer than other person who has. Not wasting capital paying back for your shiny new shit.
What's your support?

Deleted member 7082 · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
Well if you don't a have loan/debt then you're richer than other person who has. Not wasting capital paying back for your shiny new shit.
What's your support?

Hold up there, you said such a loan makes you stay poor, not just that having that debt makes you poorer than someone who doesn't.

So answer the question.

ronco2000 · Sep 16, 2018

Megatherium said:
Hold up there, you said such a loan makes you stay poor, not just that having that debt makes you poorer than someone who doesn't.

So answer the question.

I did.

Deleted member 7082 · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
I did.

All you've done is pointed at the stupidly obvious fact that things cost money. Anything a poor person spends money on that isn't essential to their survival could be blamed for why they are poor, according to this. Like refrigerators.

ronco2000 · Sep 16, 2018

Megatherium said:
All you've done is pointed at the stupidly obvious fact that things cost money. Anything a poor person spends money on that isn't essential to their survival could be blamed for why they are poor, according to this. Like refrigerators.

Yes it is.

Mammoth Jones · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
Well that's how you stay poor.

If only they purchased the boot-strap plan along with their monthly iPhone payments?

subpar spatula · Sep 16, 2018

ronco2000 said:
Well if you don't a have loan/debt then you're richer than other person who has. Not wasting capital paying back for your shiny new shit.
What's your support?

That's not support. Try again.

Deleted member 3335 · Sep 16, 2018

Stop buying iPhones and avacados!

Gamespawn · Sep 16, 2018

Does that mean if a poor person buys a $1000 phone outright, they're not poor anymore?

FaceHugger · Sep 16, 2018

Pwnz said:
And the galaxy s9 is nearly $300 cheaper.

Apples SoC is a bit faster, but these prices aren't justified. Only major innovation coming up for phones is next gen wifi and 5G. Prices should be dropping.

Yea like I mentioned, Google exists. It's just flabbergasting how some people don't realize how far behind iPhones lag in between generations. It's exhausting trying to have conversations with them when they're so forceful and aggressive with their opinions while not realizing how incredibly wrong they are. I mean one actually called me a liar, when they could have answered their own questions with a Google search and 60 seconds of reading.

Lakeside · Sep 16, 2018

FaceHugger said:
Yea like I mentioned, Google exists. It's just flabbergasting how some people don't realize how far behind iPhones lag in between generations. It's exhausting trying to have conversations with them when they're so forceful and aggressive with their opinions while not realizing how incredibly wrong they are. I mean one actually called me a liar, when they could have answered their own questions with a Google search and 60 seconds of reading.

For a lot of people it just doesn't matter. There is good reason to distrust Google with your information. We also know you aren't getting long term OS support with Android. It just is what it is.

Vern · Sep 17, 2018

Pwnz said:
And the galaxy s9 is nearly $300 cheaper.

Apples SoC is a bit faster, but these prices aren't justified. Only major innovation coming up for phones is next gen wifi and 5G. Prices should be dropping.

Prices don't just drop because it's cheaper for the manufacturer. Apple maintains a high price because that's the position in the marketplace that they want to occupy and that they can occupy. They have no obligation to pass cost savings onto their customers, as I mentioned before, a lower price phone is potentially less appealing to a lot of people. People are irrational. Something costs more so it's better and seen as something to aspire for. If it's the same cost as any old android then it loses its appeal to a lot of people. Someone else would swoop in on the top of the market and people would want that instead. Not every brand wants to race to the price bottom.

Deleted member 2809 · Sep 17, 2018

Ether_Snake said:
I knew we'd soon reach some sort of anti-vaccine type of argumentation.

Fucking lol can you even read

leng jai · Sep 17, 2018

Vern said:
Prices don't just drop because it's cheaper for the manufacturer. Apple maintains a high price because that's the position in the marketplace that they want to occupy and that they can occupy. They have no obligation to pass cost savings onto their customers, as I mentioned before, a lower price phone is potentially less appealing to a lot of people. People are irrational. Something costs more so it's better and seen as something to aspire for. If it's the same cost as any old android then it loses its appeal to a lot of people. Someone else would swoop in on the top of the market and people would want that instead. Not every brand wants to race to the price bottom.

Not everyone is complaining about it being expensive, it's about it going up every year for no reason. If we keep the current trend going the 512GB phone will be $3000AUD in 2 years, it's getting absurd.

UltraMagnus · Sep 17, 2018

It's their business what they want to sell their products at, having said that the whole "well Apple is the Louis Vuitton of electronics" thing I think is taking them in a direction they may not like in a few years.

The iPhone was always usually fairly affordable for the most part. On the high end of the pricing range, sure. I think long term they will find a more limited audience if they cater so hard to the high end audience.

They're still in the honeymoon phase of the new iPhone X design too, but once everyone and their grandma has moved on up to the 5.5 inch+ full screen phone designs (Apple or Android), I think we're gonna hit a point where a lot of people just stop upgrading their phones so often.

aspiegamer · Sep 17, 2018

Real question on price-- has Apple (or anyone else, I guess) addressed plans for the seemingly-likely 20% tariff in the US market? I figure Apple's margin per phone is so stupidly huge that they could easily eat the cost at exist MSRPs and still make money per unit sold.

Zushin · Sep 17, 2018

I'm happy to upgrade in this cycle because this is the last phone I plan on using for the next 4-5 years. It's currently going to cost me about $15 AUD a month more than what I pay now so it's not tooooo bad I suppose.

Midnight Lunch · Sep 17, 2018

Zushin said:
I'm happy to upgrade in this cycle because this is the last phone I plan on using for the next 4-5 years. It's currently going to cost me about $15 AUD a month more than what I pay now so it's not tooooo bad I suppose.

I wasn't going to upgrade but it's only $3 more a month for me to upgrade my X to the XS Max and I get 50GB of data instead of 14GB...

SapientWolf · Sep 17, 2018

Credit to buy phones is easy to get because of all the carrier purchase plans, so that allows Apple to keep raising the price without shutting out their customers. If most people were buying these things with cash they would be more price sensitive.

Zushin · Sep 17, 2018

Midnight Lunch said:
I wasn't going to upgrade but it's only $3 more a month for me to upgrade my X to the XS Max and I get 50GB of data instead of 14GB...

Yeah I have a Galaxy S8 with 17gb a month for $130 a month and it's $140 a month for a 256gb Xs with 30gb so that's worth it to me I think.

Deleted member 2809 · Sep 17, 2018

130 a month jfc
And I thought 15 a month was a lot.

Zushin · Sep 17, 2018

Shugga said:
130 a month jfc
And I thought 15 a month was a lot.

Haha thats Australian pricing. And yes it's a lot lol

Lakeside · Sep 17, 2018

aspiegamer said:
Real question on price-- has Apple (or anyone else, I guess) addressed plans for the seemingly-likely 20% tariff in the US market? I figure Apple's margin per phone is so stupidly huge that they could easily eat the cost at exist MSRPs and still make money per unit sold.

For all we know they may have just built that potential tariff into the price.

henhowc · Sep 18, 2018

Roberts: "One model starts at almost $1,100, are you afraid that a group of people are being priced out?"

Cook: "Well we want to make an iPhone for everyone, that's always been our objective and we've got several iPhones in the line and they go down to materially lower. But if you look at this phone, it's the most advanced iPhone we've ever done.

The way most people pay for these...they do a deal with a carrier and they pay so much per month, so if you look at even the phone that's priced over $1,000, most people pay $30 a month for it, so that's about $1 a day. And so if you look at it, the phone has replaced your digital camera...it's replaced your video camera, it's replaced your music player, it's replaced all of these different devices. And so arguably the product is really important and we found people want to have the most innovative product available, and...it's not cheap to do that."

Tim Cook addresses iPhone pricing.

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