yet they’re still priced and treated culturally like luxury toys

  • MrJameGumb@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    There are plenty of touch screen smartphones out there that cost like $150. The expensive ones are still the norm though because people want status symbols

    • A_Toasty_Strudel@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      While some may but them for status, I bought the 22 ultra for screen real-estate, a built in s-pen, and a badass camera. There’s definitely reasons to invest in a good device beyond impressing others.

      • zeppo@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I agree. I get an insane amount of use from my phone both at home and away from home. Much more than the desktops and laptops I have. Buying a new one for $800 sucks but that only happens once every 3-4 years.

      • Globulart@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You get 80% of the price you paid for a phone 2 years later?

        I’m calling bullshit there. I could buy a brand new iPhone 13 for £599 today when it released at £779 in September 2021. Why would they give you more than the cost of a new one…?

        Or for android, a brand new Samsung S22 costs £499 today and released in early 2022 for £769.

        No way you’re getting 80% of what you paid for it after 2 years of use.

          • Globulart@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            If that were the case couldn’t I literally buy a phone with cash and trade it in for more value?Right now in the US you can buy an iPhone 13 for $475 from Walmart, but a carrier will give you a trade in value of $640ish you reckon?

            We generally don’t buy phones with cash here either and there are plenty of networks competing, but nobody offers 80% of what you paid 2 years later as a trade in, because they simply aren’t worth it.

            Not saying you’re lying, I just don’t see the logic, feel like I’m missing something.

              • Globulart@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Yeah I figured that out by pretending to buy one on the at&t site. They eat the cost of the phone because in the US the network fees are mental from what I could tell.

            • Globulart@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Jesus I just set up an iPhone 15 purchase with at&t claiming to trade in your phone and yeah it’s $1000 trade in. However I couldn’t work out why it was a final price of 0 so I kept going, the actual network plans are fucking insane prices so I guess that’s where they make their money back. In the UK I pay £20 a month for a Samsung s22 and £20 a month for 200gb data and unlimited calls/texts. The equivalent of about $50 a month total without even trading in my old phone.

              I was feeling hard done by until I got to the network plans, fuck me.