How do people afford the iPhone???

deadpixel

The iPhone itself is ridiculous. There are way better android phones out there like the samsung galaxy s2 and the htc sensation but nobody cares - everyone is just iPhone mad!

pingu

Humphrey10 wrote: »

In answer to the thread title:
By having a job. Simples.

yes and no

seen students with them:mad:

and im sure we know one way or other people have them but can't really afford them:)

i am allowed to have one (birthday/xmas present) but am looking for an alternative sim free so i can go sim only in about a month and give my son (who just started college):D my iphone4:)

Humphrey10

deadpixel wrote: »

There are way better android phones out there

I don't think they are better, personally. I see so many people saying 'this android phone is so easy to use, all you have to is install this software and change all these settings etc' - I don't want to have to faff around fiddling with settings and installing software. I want a phone that works out of the box, that I can buy in a shop in person, and that I can switch on and inspect for dead pixels and the like while in the shop, and get it exchanged for another phone there and then no questions asked if I am not 100% happy with it.

I also like the App Store - I like how every app has to be approved before it appears there. There also seems to be a larger range of better quality apps - most of the games I play on my iPhone are not available for Android.

Also a lot of the apps I have for my iPhone are universal and run full screen on my iPad (all of them work on my iPad, but only universal ones are full screen). Apps for an Android phone wouldn't work on my iPad.

pingu wrote: »

yes and no

seen students with them

When I was at uni, yes there were students who had expensive things. But they managed to afford them by cutting back on other spending - eg living off bread, backed beans and water and wearing rags (almost). The problems come when people want expensive gadgets but are not willing to cut back on other spending to pay for the gadgets, they want the gadget but still want to spend money on smoking, drinking, children, etc.

chrispafc

How do people afford to smoke? How do people claiming benefits afford to run cars? Surely, cars are for people who WORK!
My taxes are paying for benefit claimants to have cars and own Iphones? Call the Sun.

Kai

Humphrey10 wrote: »

I don't think they are better, personally. I see so many people saying 'this android phone is so easy to use, all you have to is install this software and change all these settings etc' - I don't want to have to faff around fiddling with settings and installing software. I want a phone that works out of the box,

You don't actually have to install any additional software. The very basic Android OS is very easy to use. The crucial point here is that you actually have the freedom to change almost anything you want. I know it is possible to change iOS but you have to jailbreak it and you're left at the whim of the groups who find the vulnerabilities to enable the jailbreak.

Humphrey10 wrote: »

that I can buy in a shop in person, and that I can switch on and inspect for dead pixels and the like while in the shop, and get it exchanged for another phone there and then no questions asked if I am not 100% happy with it.

Actually you can do what you say above with any phone at the point of sale. I very much doubt that any phone shop will present you a phone that has faults and insist that you have to buy it. Any reasonable phone shop will allow you to play with a demo model and then let you purchase a new one and allow you to open it to inspect it to make sure you're happy with it before you part with your money.

The aftercare that is offered by Apple is something different though. It's a good service but you are paying a premium for it (as with anything in life really).

Humphrey10 wrote: »

I also like the App Store - I like how every app has to be approved before it appears there. There also seems to be a larger range of better quality apps - most of the games I play on my iPhone are not available for Android.

I have to say that in my opinion the eco-systems of Android and iOS are roughly equivalent now. In fact, the longer it goes on, I can only see Android getting better in the long run. That's just my opinion though. I can quite safely say that there hasn't been any app that I have seen on iOS only that haven't been able to find an equivalent for Android.

Humphrey10 wrote: »

Also a lot of the apps I have for my iPhone are universal and run full screen on my iPad (all of them work on my iPad, but only universal ones are full screen). Apps for an Android phone wouldn't work on my iPad.

You are exactly the type of person that Apple wants. They've successfully 'trapped' you into their brand and you'll now be a good source of revenue for them. It's what any company wants really - so there can be no blame attached to anyone here.

Humphrey10 wrote: »

When I was at uni, yes there were students who had expensive things. But they managed to afford them by cutting back on other spending - eg living off bread, backed beans and water and wearing rags (almost). The problems come when people want expensive gadgets but are not willing to cut back on other spending to pay for the gadgets, they want the gadget but still want to spend money on smoking, drinking, children, etc.

Agreed.

System

All apple stuff is a rip off to be fair. Daylight robbery/

KP74

I upgraded to Orange in November. My contract is £12.92 for 600 mins, 300 txt and 500mb data. I bought a brand new Iphone 4 16gb for £380. I got the phone unlocked from O2 for £15 and put my Orange sim in.

Keith

http://!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/three-apple-iphone-4-8gb-black.html - £30 a month, free phone.

**edit** it is from mobiles I forgot the site was banned from here

gjchester

berbastrike wrote: »

All apple stuff is a rip off to be fair. Daylight robbery/

Not really. It's a premium brand like Bose, Lexus, BMW, Audi, Tiffany, Sony, Starbucks or even Waitrose (and I could go on)

You have a choice if you don't want to spend the money then don't, there are alternatives. You could get a Starbucks coffee or cup of instant from a simple cafe, there is a difference in taste and price. You could buy a Kia over a Ford or a BMW, all do the same thing, and again a big difference in price. Do you buy a Sony TV or a Tesco Own brand, both do the same basics do you want extra features? In the iPhone do you want to pay extra for Apples style and cachet?

Do we feel the extra cost is justified by extra features, maybe, but all too often its about how we want to be seen by others. If you don't want to pay for a premium brand or if you can't afford to, (and thats generalising not aimed at you) then it's down to if you want the item at the exclusion of something else, or you don't buy the item.




Daylight robbery, far from it, no-one is forced to buy any premium brand, it's personal choice to do so, and a high end smartphone is a luxury not a need.

System

But the quality of the iphone is the same as the Galaxy S2 which is more powerful yet the iphone is almost double in price. Sony and Tesco TVs are totally different, but Iphones are just overpriced because they know the demand is high.