Have flagship smartphones become too expensive?

[Gabbar Singh]

We're seeing some amazing smartphones hit the market in recent times - the galaxy 8, the note 8 and the soon to be released iPhone 8.

However with advancing technology comes a high price. Apple, Samsung etc are selling £/$800/900 handsets by the bucketloads. Sure a lot of people will get their handsets via a contract with a carrier/network but over 12-24 months it still adds up to a large sum.

Where will it end? What is the maximum you will spend on a smartphone? At what point do people say enough is enough?

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Bought this one: https://es.aliexpress.com/store/pro...ta-Core-3GB-RAM-32GB/1019176_32647252802.html

Oukitel K6000 Pro. Works like a charm.

Never liked flagship smartphones.

 

[shaz619]

Yeah they are, bought a G5 recently best phone out there if you're on a budget. Lenova P2 is also great but hard to get in the UK now, was £200 but due to popularity price went up

 

[kingusama92]

Yes, quite expensive.

I have an iPhone 7 and don't plan on changing it for 2-3 years.

Don't see the need to fork over more money for the iPhone 8/8+/X.

 

[shaz619]

Basically I'd wait to get something from the black market if there's a high end product I like, problems is I've now distanced me self from all the dodgy blokes in the area so will have to settle for the best budget phone out there.

Generally I would spend no more then £230, but if there was a max I would go up to maybe 500 but have never spent that much.

I never get contract, they rip you off and overcharge at times. Always have been a pay as you go guy, on giff gaff pay £7.50 a month

People spend insane sums though, has to be said but when I go over my budget it's usually on things like food and books , probably would be video games to but never get time to play Close to a grand is too much for a phone when there are more powerful computers / laptops, plus you don't always get value for money in terms of spec relative to other alternatives. Then again people have distinct reasons for their purchase

 

[Hamza_]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] I bought LG G5 last year in September for 29k, It started heating up.

And I've heard other issues with LG G5 as well such as stuck at boot, My LG G4 died down with this problem.

Anyways I think SGS8 is the best buy, If you want somewhere around 15-20k Huawei P9 is the best thing you can get, It's a very reliable phone.

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] I bought LG G5 last year in September for 29k, It started heating up.

And I've heard other issues with LG G5 as well such as stuck at boot, My LG G4 died down with this problem.

Anyways I think SGS8 is the best buy, If you want somewhere around 15-20k Huawei P9 is the best thing you can get, It's a very reliable phone.

My G5 is the Motto the one that says hello fatty

Yeah Huawei is an excellent phone their spec give you amazing value for money, although I don't like their software interface as much as motorola.

 

[Varun]

I buy a Rs. 8,000 - 10,000 Android phone and change every 14 - 18 months after they inevitably wear out.

In three years I'll have three new phones for Rs. 30,000 while some buy iPhones for Rs. 60,000 and again the new model when it comes out well before even two years.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

I buy a Rs. 8,000 - 10,000 Android phone and change every 14 - 18 months after they inevitably wear out.

In three years I'll have three new phones for Rs. 30,000 while some buy iPhones for Rs. 60,000 and again the new model when it comes out well before even two years.

+1. Well said. That's the way to go!

 

[Leo23]

will quote my post from another thread

iphone wipes the floor with other devices when it comes to quality, smoothness, stability and longevity. samsung, htc etc pack a lot of features but the difference in quality between iphones and their phones is massive

secondly it appears to be very expensive at $1000 but if you break it down

it is a device that you will use a lot more than any other device. probably 5-6 hrs a day

assuming that you will use the phone for one year only before upgrading the cost of the iphone x roughly translated to $3 per day

it is dirt cheap for someone who can afford to pay for smartphones

it is much better to buy a flagship phone that lasts for years (until you decide to replace it) rather than buying a low quality device that you will have to replace every year or so because it will wear out

 

[Leo23]

i have had the iphone 5s for 4 years and works perfectly and is much smoother and stable compared to a brand new android

i have to replace it now because it doesn't get software updates anymore. considering i had it for 4 yrs it was a very good investment

similarly the iphone x will last me for another 4 yrs so it is a good investment for $1000

you have to consider the value you are deriving and not the price you paid in isolation

 

[Hamza_]

I've been using Huawei P9 from one year, It has even got a fully cracked screen but still runs like a charm, Quality stuff.
[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION]

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Xiaomi produce some nice phones too. However you can't buy it from one of the big high street or online names (in the UK anyway) so there's a bit of risk when importing them as you have less consumer rights.

A lot of these budget phones are catching up to the more well known manufacturers imo. However one area where they always fall short is camera quality - cameras on the top end Samsung, apple, google etc handsets are outstanding.

 

[GBK_Fan]

I love gaming so inevitably end up changing my phone to the latest flagship every 2 years as I inflict significant damage to the screen. That said, I still don't see the need to upgrade every year. There are a few people I know who need to have the latest iPhone. It does not matter to them that they hardly use their existing phones beyond WhatsApp and calls. It's more about the brand value and being able to afford the latest, I believe

 

[Syed1]

will quote my post from another thread




it is much better to buy a flagship phone that lasts for years (until you decide to replace it) rather than buying a low quality device that you will have to replace every year or so because it will wear out

Apple stops updating software of Iphones after 3 years forcing users to buy new ones and here you are saying Iphones last 5-6 years. Don't act smart about things you have only limited knowledge about.

 

[Syed1]

I have been rocking the One Plus 3 for a year and a half, works like a charm and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg to acquire it. (Basically CAD 500 after tax and delivery charges). I didn't like the One Plus launcher so I just switched to the Google Now launcher. Can you do that in an over-priced "smartphone" called Iphone?

 

[ToeCrusher2]

I have been rocking the One Plus 3 for a year and a half, works like a charm and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg to acquire it. (Basically CAD 500 after tax and delivery charges). I didn't like the One Plus launcher so I just switched to the Google Now launcher. Can you do that in an over-priced "smartphone" called Iphone?

Agree, I have one plus 3 as well, never faced a problem in the past 1 year, and I have been constantly changing launchers every now and then, definitely a way better deal than an iphone

 

[finalfantasy7]

Yes

Hence I bought - a xioami mi max for £165 last yr.

 

[LastManstanding]

I have been rocking the One Plus 3 for a year and a half, works like a charm and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg to acquire it. (Basically CAD 500 after tax and delivery charges). I didn't like the One Plus launcher so I just switched to the Google Now launcher. Can you do that in an over-priced "smartphone" called Iphone?

Agree, I have one plus 3 as well, never faced a problem in the past 1 year, and I have been constantly changing launchers every now and then, definitely a way better deal than an iphone

Same here. Using one plus three for an year now and before that used one plus one for 18 months. One plus 5 is a bummer though. Too costly and they have messed up the software. It's not a flagship killer if you are going to sell it for INR 38k.

 

[CricketCartoons]

It was discomforting to see everyone afford an iPhone, which was taking away its premium status. With the price increase it will again be a coveted product and an object of envy for others.

 

[Leo23]

Apple stops updating software of Iphones after 3 years forcing users to buy new ones and here you are saying Iphones last 5-6 years. Don't act smart about things you have only limited knowledge about.

updating software is optional :

 

[Syed1]

Same here. Using one plus three for an year now and before that used one plus one for 18 months. One plus 5 is a bummer though. Too costly and they have messed up the software. It's not a flagship killer if you are going to sell it for INR 38k.

Yes the One Plus 5 didn't impress me at all, and all flagships are going for edge to edge display this year. You can't kill them with such huge bezels. OP will have to rethink the OP 6 if they have to stay in the market.

 

[Syed1]

updating software is optional :

If you don't update software, your apps don't get updated either because the app updates are always for the latest software.

 

[Leo23]

If you don't update software, your apps don't get updated either because the app updates are always for the latest software.

yes but that happens after a certain time period and not annually. iphone 5s had support till ios 10 and it would get updates

you can comfortably use an iphone for 3-4 years without any problem

educate yourself :

 

[Syed1]

yes but that happens after a certain time period and not annually. iphone 5s had support till ios 10 and it would get updates

you can comfortably use an iphone for 3-4 years without any problem

educate yourself :

Only if you buy a new charger every six months because the charger wire is built to last only that much, also the screen is the easiest to break from all flagships and you do not want to install any new apps after 3 years. I'm adequately educated.

 

[Leo23]

Only if you buy a new charger every six months because the charger wire is built to last only that much, also the screen is the easiest to break from all flagships and you do not want to install any new apps after 3 years. I'm adequately educated.

haven't had a new charger in ages and didn't break my screen. iphone is the most long lasting smartphone. the performance does not drop after 6 months like android

 

[Syed1]

haven't had a new charger in ages and didn't break my screen. iphone is the most long lasting smartphone. the performance does not drop after 6 months like android

Lol you just exposed the fact that you know nothing about smartphones. Makes sense why you are an Iphone fan.

 

[R0H1T]

Lol you just exposed the fact that you know nothing about smartphones. Makes sense why you are an Iphone fan.

Pot kettle black

If you don't update software, your apps don't get updated either because the app updates are always for the latest software.

 

[Syed1]

Pot kettle black

I had an Iphone at one point, once you stop receiving software updates your apps don't update either.

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] Is an engineer, which makes his opinions a lot more valid in comparison to the common fella being one who has a legit appreciation for technical excellence relative to how much value you are actually getting out of your investment. You can argue all you want with these fella's bro but they won't understand, when it comes to an iphone the main appeal has been the brand they established being pioneers and their emphasis on design / high premium feel at times; beyond that in terms of performance they don't have a lot going for them in terms of what you can get out of Android phones whilst paying a lot less.

People are talking about longevity of their phones being a factor, are they serious ? I've had Moto G 2nd gen for a long long time; how wil an iPhone 7 really last longer then a Samsung s8 ? assuming it does, would it outlast the s8 to such an extent that it would be worth paying an extra £300 ? since it is longevity which folk are advocating as one of the reasons for their purchase.

If people are going to say they are buying an Iphone due to their likeness for the way they design their products and their fandom of the apple brand; fair enough. But when folk advocate their product as being the undisputed greatest when it comes to performance and longevity it's very ignorant.

As it stands though the s8 is by far the best smartphone in the world imo, beautiful design, amazing spec and it's not as overly priced compared to its competitors.

 

[R0H1T]

I had an Iphone at one point, once you stop receiving software updates your apps don't update either.

That depends on the minimum OS the app supports, it has nothing to do with what you wrote.

I know because it's the same in Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Android etc.

What you;re saying is nonsensical.

 

[Syed1]

[MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] Is an engineer, which makes his opinions a lot more valid in comparison to the common fella being one who has a legit appreciation for technical excellence relative to how much value you are actually getting out of your investment. You can argue all you want with these fella's bro but they won't understand, when it comes to an iphone the main appeal has been the brand they established being pioneers and their emphasis on design / high premium feel at times; beyond that in terms of performance they don't have a lot going for them in terms of what you can get out of Android phones whilst paying a lot less.

People are talking about longevity of their phones being a factor, are they serious ? I've had Moto G 2nd gen for a long long time; how wil an iPhone 7 really last longer then a Samsung s8 ? assuming it does, would it outlast the s8 to such an extent that it would be worth paying an extra £300 ? since it is longevity which folk are advocating as one of the reasons for their purchase.

If people are going to say they are buying an Iphone due to their likeness for the way they design their products and their fandom of the apple brand; fair enough. But when folk advocate their product as being the undisputed greatest when it comes to performance and longevity it's very ignorant.

As it stands though the s8 is by far the best smartphone in the world imo, beautiful design, amazing spec and it's not as overly priced compared to its competitors.

Beautiful post, I had tears in my eyes reading it

 

[R0H1T]

[MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] Is an engineer, which makes his opinions a lot more valid in comparison to the common fella being one who has a legit appreciation for technical excellence relative to how much value you are actually getting out of your investment. You can argue all you want with these fella's bro but they won't understand, when it comes to an iphone the main appeal has been the brand they established being pioneers and their emphasis on design / high premium feel at times; beyond that in terms of performance they don't have a lot going for them in terms of what you can get out of Android phones whilst paying a lot less.

People are talking about longevity of their phones being a factor, are they serious ? I've had Moto G 2nd gen for a long long time; how wil an iPhone 7 really last longer then a Samsung s8 ? assuming it does, would it outlast the s8 to such an extent that it would be worth paying an extra £300 ? since it is longevity which folk are advocating as one of the reasons for their purchase.

If people are going to say they are buying an Iphone due to their likeness for the way they design their products and their fandom of the apple brand; fair enough. But when folk advocate their product as being the undisputed greatest when it comes to performance and longevity it's very ignorant.

As it stands though the s8 is by far the best smartphone in the world imo, beautiful design, amazing spec and it's not as overly priced compared to its competitors.

I'm a BE CS, you think you know more than me?

 

[Syed1]

That depends on the minimum OS the app supports, it has nothing to do with what you wrote.

I know because it's the same in Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Android etc.

What you;re saying is nonsensical.

But as LEO mentioned over there Iphones last for 5-6 years while Androids not even six months, so outdated software doesn't seem to be a big issue for Android

 

[R0H1T]

But as LEO mentioned over there Iphones last for 5-6 years while Androids not even six months, so outdated software doesn't seem to be a big issue for Android

I said it's more because of RAM in the other thread, to a lesser extent storage, that still doesn;t validate your other point.

 

[shaz619]

I'm a BE CS, you think you know more than me?

Yes, am Rocket Scientist we have to do a lot of programming to and am sure Syed1 did as well during his Mechanical Engineering degree, we're a lot more versatile then you one dimensional IT guys . Also being Pakistani helps us like a million times

 

[Syed1]

I said it's more because of RAM in the other thread, to a lesser extent storage, that still doesn;t validate your other point.

You never mentioned RAM and Storage when you quoted me.




Also it is outdated mentality that Androids don't last, maybe if you buy the cheap budget ones. I have a One Plus 3, a mid-range Android and 1.5 years after release it is still working as it did on its first day. In terms of specs a $1000 Iphone X has 3 GB off RAM, but my cheap outdated One Plus has 6 GB )

 

[R0H1T]

Yes, am Rocket Scientist we have to do a lot of programming to and am sure Syed1 did as well during his Mechanical Engineering degree, we're a lot more versatile then you one dimensional IT guys . Also being Pakistani helps us like a million times

Oh sure, I bet you know more about phones because you;re a mechanical engineer or rocket scientist.

I'm sure that makes sense, but I'm hoping you;re trolling at this point.

You never mentioned RAM and Storage when you quoted me.




Also it is outdated mentality that Androids don't last, maybe if you buy the cheap budget ones. I have a One Plus 3, a mid-range Android and 1.5 years after release it is still working as it did on its first day. In terms of specs a $1000 Iphone X has 3 GB off RAM, but my cheap outdated One Plus has 6 GB )

Bhai saab do do thread chal rahe hein, I'm sure you won;t mind checking that one out.

 

[CricketCartoons]

I had an Iphone at one point, once you stop receiving software updates your apps don't update either.

Wrong. Only those apps won't update whose deployment target is higher than the device version. Plus there is a last compatible version which Apple provides.

So it all depends on the app developers if they want to support previous versions. Same applies to android. They have a minimum support version, which is upto the discretion of the developers.

 

[Syed1]

Wrong. Only those apps won't update whose deployment target is higher than the device version. Plus there is a last compatible version which Apple provides.

So it all depends on the app developers if they want to support previous versions. Same applies to android. They have a minimum support version, which is upto the discretion of the developers.

Yeah so after 3 or so years, developers also move on to later versions and stop producing for apps for older versions of OS.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Yeah so after 3 or so years, developers also move on to later versions and stop producing for apps for older versions of OS.

Only if they know that the percent of users having the old OS is less and not worth the effort. But the point is, that it applies to android as well, not unique to iOS.

 

[R0H1T]

Only if they know that the percent of users having the old OS is less and not worth the effort. But the point is, that it applies to android as well, not unique to iOS.

It applies to every OS ~ desktop, mobile or server.

 

[Syed1]

Only if they know that the percent of users having the old OS is less and not worth the effort. But the point is, that it applies to android as well, not unique to iOS.

But as per leo here androids don't last past the six month mark so that isn't really an issue for them

 

[Napa]

I have had an iPhone 5 for around 5 years now and recently changed the battery myself at a cost of around $15. It works great and recently I moved all my music to it (which is a bit complicated but can be done if you do a bit of research).

I looked at the iPhone presentation yesterday, and while impressive I don't think the new iPhones offer enough to get me to replace my existing phone. I understand that for gamers the new features are nice, but I am not a gamer and I don't want to go through the work of having to move my music and apps again.

If you keep the phone for 5 or more years, the cost of an iPhone is very low.

 

[Napa]

when it comes to an iphone the main appeal has been the brand they established being pioneers and their emphasis on design / high premium feel at times; beyond that in terms of performance they don't have a lot going for them in terms of what you can get out of Android phones whilst paying a lot less.

Apple has grabbed the image of being cool in the minds of the Western consumers. And that image is going to propel it to being the first company in the world with a market capitalization of over $1T. Does someone in a New York art gallery or a Dallas real estate office want to be seen with a Samsung rather than an iPhone? These things are not determined by technical specs, but rather by brand image.

As it stands though the s8 is by far the best smartphone in the world imo, beautiful design, amazing spec and it's not as overly priced compared to its competitors.

While the Samsung phone is very nice, the iPhone customer segment is not very price sensitive. That is the reason why Apple's market cap is $820B, while Samsung's is only $305B, even though Samsung produces many things other than smartphones.

https://www.google.com/search?q=samsung+market+cap+usd&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAPL?p=AAPL

 

[maverick85]

£200 would be my limit. The phone has to have AMOLED, good battery and gyro/compass. Lenovo P2 ticks all those boxes.

 

[Leo23]

But as per leo here androids don't last past the six month mark so that isn't really an issue for them

i didn't say android lasts for 6 months only

i said that iphones are much more stable than androids and even a 3 years old iphone is less buggy than a brand new android

secondly android phones have very high ram only because it the os is very buggy and they cannot make it useable without the high ram

ios is slick as butter so apple does not need high ram. if samsung lowers its ram to iphone level the phone will become a brick

 

[Syed1]

i said that iphones are much more stable than androids and even a 3 years old iphone is less buggy than a brand new android

wow wow wow...

 

[Leo23]

Apple has grabbed the image of being cool in the minds of the Western consumers. And that image is going to propel it to being the first company in the world with a market capitalization of over $1T. Does someone in a New York art gallery or a Dallas real estate office want to be seen with a Samsung rather than an iPhone? These things are not determined by technical specs, but rather by brand image.



While the Samsung phone is very nice, the iPhone customer segment is not very price sensitive. That is the reason why Apple's market cap is $820B, while Samsung's is only $305B, even though Samsung produces many things other than smartphones.

https://www.google.com/search?q=samsung+market+cap+usd&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAPL?p=AAPL

don't expect simple folks like [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] and [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] to understand this

it is too complicated and intelligent for them )

 

[Leo23]

wow wow wow...

the truth

but but but you can't still be using an iphone 5 now because UPDATES )

 

[Syed1]

don't expect simple folks like [MENTION=138254]Syed1[/MENTION] and [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] to understand this

it is too complicated and intelligent for them )

Says the guy who thinks a 3 year old Iphone has better performance than a brand new Android ) )

 

[Syed1]

 

[Leo23]

Says the guy who thinks a 3 year old Iphone has better performance than a brand new Android ) )

indeed

an iphone 6 (2014) is more stable and slick than samsung s8 (2017)

that is simply because of ios and how well it is integrated

the only android that is as smooth as the ios is the google phone and it is obvious why. it has the cleanest version of android and it has not been customized for third party like samsung,htc,motorola etc

 

[Leo23]

View attachment 76235

what does this tell you?

 

[Syed1]

indeed

an iphone 6 (2014) is more stable and slick than samsung s8 (2017)

that is simply because of ios and how well it is integrated

the only android that is as smooth as the ios is the google phone and it is obvious why. it has the cleanest version of android and it has not been customized for third party like samsung,htc,motorola etc

Dude have you even seen a S8? Most people say it is the BEST phone of 2017, even AFTER the Iphone X release. Time for you to grow up kid.

 

[Syed1]

what does this tell you?

It is too hard for your mind, give it a rest. I posted it for the benefit of other posters.

 

[Leo23]

Dude have you even seen a S8? Most people say it is the BEST phone of 2017, even AFTER the Iphone X release. Time for you to grow up kid.

it looks amazing no doubt but features and user experience are two different things

samsung packs all the features in the world but it still struggles to provide some basic essentials such as a smooth stable device

i would rather have less features (most of which no one ever uses) and a smooth os rather than the opposite

 

[Syed1]

it looks amazing no doubt but features and user experience are two different things

samsung packs all the features in the world but it still struggles to provide some basic essentials such as a smooth stable device

i would rather have less features (most of which no one ever uses) and a smooth os rather than the opposite

Watch this and stop quoting me with your outdated info and mindless posts.

 

[R0H1T]

Says the guy who thinks a 3 year old Iphone has better performance than a brand new Android ) )

Look, you're both right & somewhat both wrong. I'll explain why ~

1. The Ax SoC that go into iphones & ipads are the fastest processors in their power class i.e. 10W or lower.
2. Apple designs their hardware, phone & tablets, in a way that their users need to upgrade in a few years, how many years ~ that depends on the user.
3. They do this by limiting RAM & storage, for storage (ROM) there are options up to 256GB but that's mainly useful for storing files & such.
4. The real impediment in upgrading apps is RAM, more & more apps, as well as browsers & websites, consume oodles of RAM these days. Therefore some websites can simply crash on an iOS browser, same goes for certain apps.
5. With Android you really only have the Samsung Galaxy S & Note series series which are comparable to iPhones.
6. They use the best components from Samsung, which Apple itself uses in displays, memory & storage.
7. Sammy also updates their phones (OS) for a good amount of time, after it's released, almost as long as the Nexus series.
8. With Android the OS is mostly controlled by Google, the various manufacturers add their skin, UI, apps et al & package it under their brand.
9. iOS is totally controlled by Apple & they can do whatever they want at an amazing speed, the Metal API is also one of the reasons Apple can do more with less (resources) but Vulkan should bring some of this parity to Android.
10. Now as for reliability is concerned Apple brand sells itself, has a better resale value * the Apple retail stores are the best so far as customer care is concerned.
11. iPhone is also used, often times as a benchmark for phones that can last a long time, it's because of the quality of it's build & components, considering the price that should be the least it ought to be capable of.
12. In that regard only Samsung is consistently good & reliable, that too because they make most of the components that go inside their phones, others are mostly hit & miss.

All in all at the top end no phone is better or worse than the IPhone or Galaxy S & Note series.

 

[Leo23]

It is too hard for your mind, give it a rest. I posted it for the benefit of other posters.

before copy pasting tables learn to understand them

samsung sells way too many models ranging from $50 to $700

since it caters to all markets its market share is obviously going to be greater than apple who don't sell low budget ios devices

check the market share of iphone 7 and s8 and the iphone 7 blows s8 out of the water

you may be an engineer but clearly you don't know anything about business and mobile tech

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

that is simply because of ios and how well it is integrated

the only android that is as smooth as the ios is the google phone and it is obvious why. it has the cleanest version of android and it has not been customized for third party like samsung,htc,motorola etc

I heard my friends say the same thing a couple of years back.

 

[Napa]

View attachment 76235

what does this tell you?

While the table shows Apple losing market share, that is not the most important number. The most important number is Apple's stock price, because, believe me, analysts who spend their entire day thinking about this are better than us in understanding this issue.

Apple's share price rose from $110 to $143 from Q1 2016 to Q1 2017 while its market share was falling. Why?

Because, as the smartphone industry grows, the lower end is growing faster and also becoming increasingly commoditized. And that is the not segment Apple plays in.

While an Apple customer is worth less than $5,000 in profits over his lifetime, for a commoditized smartphone maker the customer is worth less than $1,000.

As long as Apple keeps its image of sleek, cool and fashionable, its market cap will stay in the stratosphere.

 

[Yossarian]

Sometimes old technology is best:

In Key West, no cell phones are working after Hurricane Irma's devastation. Some landlines are still intact, but even landline phones can't be used as there's no electricity!

However:

Not all communication technology has failed. Some land lines — the few that are left anyway — survived intact in Key West.

On Simonton Street in Key West, word soon got out about a woman named Patricia, whose $13 old-fashioned phone was still working. For years, neighbors have gently ribbed her for keeping the line and shunning cell service.

But since the storm, Key West firefighters and neighbors have been streaming to her home to call loved ones around the country. A Herald reporter even used her phone to dictate storm coverage hours after the eye passed over the Keys.

http://oianews.com/with-no-word-from-keys-after-irma-worried-relatives-turn-to-social-media

 

[maxamax]

Still using 200$ Galaxy J5. Its crazy to buy any phone crossing 500$ let alone 900-100$. We people are responsible for letting these company rule with such prices. A single boycott will put them back to place. Because of bigger companies, even smaller ones are now maxing 500$ phones to cash things out.

 

[yasir]

Personally, I go for Apple first, I like their hardware and software better than others. Also, I trust them more than Google/Amazon/Facebook with my personal data, there main game is selling hardware not personal info, where as others have different business model, Ad is main source of their revenue...

Keep in mind Apple products are not that expensive if you look at long term cost. New iPhone costs $700 but you can sell the iPhone even after 2 years for $300/400s, I recycle them after every two years, I sell the old ones at $350/400...Cost of the phone is $300 for 2 years, which is probably same, if not less for most Android phone...You get much better quality and experience, not to mention a security device

Same goes for Macs, their resale value is great, not to mention they lasts much longer...I still have my iMac 27" from 2010, I added SSD two years ago, extra RAM couples of years before. It still runs great, again quality of display is such that, after 7 years, it is still sharp and crisp... I have never bought an Laptop for my self, you get that from job, Desktop for home works better and for me iMac is the main choice...

 

[shaz619]

Apple has grabbed the image of being cool in the minds of the Western consumers. And that image is going to propel it to being the first company in the world with a market capitalization of over $1T. Does someone in a New York art gallery or a Dallas real estate office want to be seen with a Samsung rather than an iPhone? These things are not determined by technical specs, but rather by brand image.



While the Samsung phone is very nice, the iPhone customer segment is not very price sensitive. That is the reason why Apple's market cap is $820B, while Samsung's is only $305B, even though Samsung produces many things other than smartphones.

https://www.google.com/search?q=samsung+market+cap+usd&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAPL?p=AAPL

I wouldn't necessarily say that iPhone's are mostly popular amongst the corporate elite, art gallery / dallas chimpanzee etc there are folk who are not all wealthy that will spend close to a grand for the latest iPhone; apple fans in general are not price sensitive regardless of how much they earn. My girlfriend is a big fan of their products and most women I know in general to be honest, iPhone is a very female friendly product Being pioneers I agree that their brand is a bigger draw then any other product out there, so even if their tech is inferior or overly priced folk will buy it due to the superficial reasons you've stated.

I've only ever owned a 3gs but it was given to me as a gift, it was alright; since then have owned an s4. Did not have reliability issues with either phones. Longevity seems to be one of the pivotal reasons for purchasing an apple product but is an s8 really going to die out sooner and how long do folk even plan on keeping their smartphone, I really don't think an s8 would die within 3 years and I probably would get a new phone after that time frame anyway. Folk who intend on keeping their iPhone for more then 3 years will need to in order to justify their £1000 investment but there's always the temptation to buy a new smartphone. I think that both products at their best are fairly evenly matched whilst one is over priced due to their brand / being a pioneer and the other a lot more reasonable (I know it's insulting to use that word in any case).

 

[jeetu]

Flagship phones are way to expensive.
I tend to avoid cutting edge stuff , whether its phone or computer. Mid range stuff tend to offer much better price to performance ratio.
Xaomi Note 4 is good example of budget phones.

 

[shaz619]

Sometimes old technology is best:

In Key West, no cell phones are working after Hurricane Irma's devastation. Some landlines are still intact, but even landline phones can't be used as there's no electricity!

However:

Not all communication technology has failed. Some land lines — the few that are left anyway — survived intact in Key West.

I was disappointed when I found out that the Nokia 3310 was going to be released again but not in its original form loved that phone, god knows how I lost it. Was a big fan of Nokia, how the mighty have fallen. Don't think they have a product out there which has the potential to compete with Samsung or Apple.

 

[Jadz]

My mobile is about 9 or 10 years old, does not do anything 'smart' - like hoovering, cooking or washing - but does permit me to do the very basics, like receive and make calls, text messages. Family disapprove of my unwillingness to 'update' or 'upgrade' - whatever the fancy term is - my mobile, but I am willing to disown them in my determination to keep my phone, which is in excellent working order.

 

[shaz619]

Does anyone read TechRadar ? they are very knowledgeable bunch, enjoy reading their reviews. Anyone who wants to buy a phone regardless of their budget should check them out, they tend to give a very objective account whilst providing the pros and cons. Right now the s8 is at no.1 in their rankings, I think the X has the potential to sneak ahead for the top spot but maybe its cost will have it come in at no.2

 

[Firebreaker]

They have been expensive for quite a few years now.

 

[shaz619]

I only changed my phone recently because my old one was stolen, it wasn't even worth much but folk in Brum are always hungry I was thinking imagine I had spent 500-1K on the phone and I had lost it or it got stolen

 

[shaz619]

They have been expensive for quite a few years now.

The s8 in the UK costs about £540 which is not too too bad compared to its competitors, although that is still a large amount of money

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=83349]R0H1T[/MENTION] Am going to buy an iPhone when I get an IPL contract

 

[Hamza_]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION]

You've got a better shot by selling a kidney,

But wait it's only an iPhone.