The new iPhone is how much? That’s been a common response since Apple unveiled its latest, biggest and most expensive iPhones today.
There were three new iPhones announced and they have no home buttons, no headphone jacks and not one of them is under $1,200.
The iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max start at $1,629 and $1,799 respectively.
The most expensive model – the iPhone Xs Max 512GB is an eye-watering $2,369. They go on sale next week.
The iPhone XR starts at $1,229 but is not available till the end of October.
No other tech company, besides Apple, could get away with that sort of price tag.
And not many companies have the same brand loyalty from customers either.
The iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max are beautifully designed and packed with the latest features and technologies.
They also deliver a high-quality experience for the features we use most – the camera to capture life’s moments and the display for us to enjoy our favourite content in high-quality anywhere.
When the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs are released next week it’s a good bet there will be lines around the block to buy it.
Is it worth the money?
That’s an individual and subjective question.
All of us carry around a mobile device and are attached to it constantly and people are willing to pay a bit extra to make that daily experience even better.
After all, this is a device that will be used for two years, if not even longer so the cost compared to the other things we spend our money on is relatively small when spread out across that time.
We don’t buy phones because they make good calls or send good messages.
We buy good phones because they take remarkable pictures, allow us to stay connected with social media and provide a platform to enjoy the latest apps and watch the latest content.
The iPhone is a lifestyle product and also a little bit of a status symbol.
Having the latest shiny new iPhone says a lot about a person – they’re up with the latest technology, they have a certain amount of style and they’ve got a few dollars in the bank.
I’ve already seen all the jokes where people are calling the iPhone Xs the iPhone Excess.
These new iPhones will certainly appeal to “phone people” who value their device and use it constantly.
You’ll find most of the people complaining the loudest about the price of these new iPhones are customers who see the mobile phone as just a way to just make and receive calls.
They’re just like the people who see their car as a way to get from A to B. But don’t say that to “car people” who see their ride as their pride and joy.
It’s a similar kind of feeling with people and their iPhones.
But you certainly get what you pay for with the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max.
If you are playing Apple Keynote bingo – you would have heard the word “beautiful” numerous times during the launch event.
That’s another reason why Apple devices come at a premium – they are meticulously designed and work with Apple’s own software to create an experience and an ecosystem you can’t get anywhere else.
But these high prices could also play into Samsung’s hands.
Just a couple of weeks ago the company released its new flagship smartphone – the Galaxy Note 9 – which is bristling with new cutting-edge features.
But it’s also hundreds of dollars cheaper than the new iPhones. The new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 starts at $1,499. The 512GB Note 9 is $1,799.
Samsung, the number one global smartphone manufacturer, may even attract some “switchers” who might decide to give the Galaxy phones a try after seeing the high prices for the new iPhones.
In fact, Samsung includes a USB dongle with its new Galaxy devices to make switching from an iPhone even easier.
The difficulty of this process, which was a barrier for “switchers”, has now been removed.
But there is no doubt Apple will be basking in the hype they’ve created until these new iPhones are available.
And you can bet your bottom dollar (many customers will be putting down a lot more than that) that there will be massive lines outside Apple Stores when they go on sale next week.
And if you’re wondering why Apple became the first trillion dollar company, this is why.
