Even though people use their phones every day (probably every minute of every day), they probably don't think about the cost of that phone very often. However, Quartz reports that smartphone prices are getting sky-high and many consumers feel like they just can't justify the high cost of a brand-new phone.
Samsung's new phone, the Note 8, will retail for $929. The New York Times reports that Apple's new iPhone, which is set to be released this fall, will ring up at $999 for a "premium" model. That's a big jump from last year's models, which sold for $850 and $769, respectively, but Quartz's deep dive found that it's actually a huge difference between the phone's initial drop a decade ago.
Quartz reports that consumers have grown accustomed to rising phone prices, but seeing the numbers approach $1,000 (the same price as an entry-level Apple notebook computer or iPad, to put things in perspective) may put some people off from upgrading.
"The average price of iPhones has oscillated between $560 and about $700 in the last few years," Quartz writes. "So $1,000 would likely be well beyond what most consumers are willing to pay."
So the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will cost £869 in the UK. That's nearly the same price as a MacBook Air. Wowza #GalaxyUnpacked pic.twitter.com/HLbBMHWtSn
— Sean Keach (@SeanKeach) August 23, 2017
Y'all: I got an update I'm about to get this new iPhone when it comes out.
— Mecca (@MecBeezy) August 8, 2017
Apple: New iPhone will cost $1,200.
Y'all: pic.twitter.com/tstHmXgVew
Samsung: "The galaxy Note 8 will cost $930."
— Dan Roach (@BruteDR) August 24, 2017
Apple: "The iPhone 8 will be around $1000."
Me: pic.twitter.com/b1GIDOnrKS
Both Apple and Samsung are hoping that upgraded tech and the larger size of the handset overall will be enough to justify the higher prices. Quartz notes that Samsung will also be releasing its S Pen stylus and rumors surrounding Apple's inclusion of 3-D face-scanning technology has been swirling for a while now.
For anyone not feeling the high price tags, Quartz also mentions that both of the two big names will be releasing lower-priced options, too. The Galaxy S8 will cost $725 and Apple should be releasing an iPhone 7S, as well, offering options for any cash-strapped customers.
Of course, not everyone pays for their smartphones outright. Thanks to carriers' various payment plans and the option to finance a phone from Apple, a new phone doesn't necessarily have to be out of reach.
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