this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2025
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Apple devices mostly aren‘t significantly more expensive than their counterparts by other manufacturers.
However, most of those offer cheaper alternatives that Apple doesn’t. While the most expensive Samsung S25 is more expensive than the equivalent iPhone, Samsung also sells models under 100€. That does skew the perception towards Samsung being more affordable.
Which it is, of course, if you don’t care about the extra amenities of more expensive phones.
Apple's discounting strategy is generally to sell last year's model, sometimes the model before that, with roughly $200 discounts for each year since its release. They sometimes release a lower spec model (the 16e is the current example, prior SE models or even the mini models from previous generations were part of this strategy as well) and that sometimes means the 2-year-old model isn't kept available as long.
That's where their 5-7 year support window really shines, in that they can just sell older models as discounted models, knowing that the new owner will still get 3-5 years of support.
The other thing is that the used market for iPhones is pretty robust. I can go buy used phones that are 3 or 4 years old and still get a good 1-4 years of additional support. At least in the U.S., if you told me my budget for a phone was gonna be $300 for the next 2 years, I think I'd probably buy a used iPhone.
As it currently stands, I'm still on Pixels on a 2 year cycle, but I also know that my "sell used to offset the price of my new phone" strategy also would be much cheaper if I did it with iPhones instead of Pixels.
I’m well aware of apple’s strategy and I myself am typing this on an iPhone 13 mini I bought refurbished.
However, for public perception of a brand as being expensive, used/refurbished models don’t really count. The cheapest phone Apple currently sells new (16e) is about 600€; 700€ directly from Apple. That’s not a cheap phone.
Samsung, as one of the most expensive android brands, still sells a variety of phones well below that, as low as 80€ for a brand new phone.
That obviously skews the perception towards Samsung being more affordable than Apple. Which they are. I cannot possibly get a new iPhone at 80€ or even a decent refurbished one.
But of course that still doesn’t mean iPhones are overpriced. You usually get what you pay for and similar devices by other manufacturers are usually just as expensive.
You can buy a brand new iPhone 16e starting at $599.
I don't know the current exchange rate, but I feel like $599 is significantly more than <100€
The exchange rate is pretty close to 1:1 these days. It is significantly more.
I know, I was being sardonic. It's insane to suggest that a $600+ phone is a budget option.
Oh it’s definitely not a budget option. It’s Apple’s idea of budget.
I was just backing you up with an approximate exchange rate.
I don't think I've paid more than that for a pixel, and I have bought a 256 GB Pixel before. I feel like that $600 apple phone has 32 GB storage or something absurd
iPhone batteries don’t blow up like pixels.
I've had like 5 and I have zero idea what you're referring to
It's true, they just get nerfed into planned obsolesce which causes the company to get sued.
Wait until you hear what the fix is for the exploding Pixel batteries
Oh I'm aware. Apple set the trend just like they did with the pricing of non Apple devices.
We're really not gonna devolve into "Apple is to blame for everything other manufacturers do" argument are we? These companies blow - but blaming one to excuse the others is nutty.
Name a hated trend in phones which apple didn't do first
You're right. Apple charging $1000 dollars for a device had no bearing on capitalism's way of setting prices based on what consumers are willing to pay... Look up ultrabooks.
Sounds like your issue is with capitalism. Fair.
It is, but it's also with trillion dollar companies with slave labor, and no I'm not just talking about Apple this time.
Now you’re getting it.
They then fixed the issue and are now more transparent about the health of your battery than many Android manufacturers. While "battery gate" had been a problem for a little while around 2017, it hasn’t been in more than 7 years. Old iPhones last a very long time these days and warn you if your battery is degraded to a point where it’ll affect the usability of your iPhone.
I have a Nexus 5 still on its original battery. Idk how.
128gb for the $599 model.
or for 559 you can get a 256 GB pixel
So, there are no Apple counterparts for what "other manufacturers" make.
Well, depends on the price point but below 500-600€, yea, Apple has nothing to offer. At or above that price point, there obviously are counterparts to Apple devices and vice versa.
So we’re upset with Apple because they don’t make low budget options?
Please send a link to a new Samsung under 100€/$.
https://a.co/d/6KuHnDN
$111 and released 2 years ago. But still, closer than I thought. Amazon 3rd party seller is kinda cheating though.
But my question remains, are we upset with Apple because they haven't provided a low budget option? There are so many good reasons to be angry with companies; "Their products are out of my price range" is like the lamest one.
The Samsung A06 was launched (in Germany) in May (2025) and you can get it for ~80€.
Anyway, we're not talking about being angry with Apple, we're talking about why Apple is perceived more expensive/less affordable than Android. The reason: they don't have cheap/inexpensive phones (or anything inexpensive in any category). Apple is marketed as a premium brand, has premium prices, and we're making fun of that.
I did a quick search - a nice option it seems.
That's fair - but the prices aren't really a premium are they? They're just standard. What Apple is lacking is budget phones like Samsung. Less features, less performant hardware, less cost. What I'm getting at is that Samsung has many more "premium" options compared to Apple - yet because Apple's options are only "premium" they're considered the phone for rich assholes with too much money, so maybe we should just be making fun of those people instead, regardless of their phone.
They're standard for premium ranges.
The thing is, Apple markets themselves as a brand for wealthy, hipster kind of people, plus iPhones are very easily identifiable. Samsung never branded itself like that and with all the different (and third party) cases you usually don't spot them on first glance.
We make fun of the people that buy the branding by making fun of the brand. And I usually don't see people making fun of those who buy refurbished or used iPhones from five years or so, but of those who always have the newest generation.
You perfectly defended my prior comment. Much obliged, nothing to add.
100€ is about $115. So it's under 100€.
You gonna respond to anything else I mentioned or are you just gonna drop a useless pedantry and leave?
Nothing else you mentioned matters. I provided you a link to a Samsung phone under the specified price, as requested. The rest of your comment was useless pedantry.
Not sure you know what pedantry means but that’s alright.
Samsung is in a contest with apple to see who can suck the most ass. So I don't think that's a fair example to ask for.
Most companies are.
I’m not the one claiming the existence of a new sub-100 euro Samsung.
Didn't see any indication anyone would say that. If they did, that would be delusional.
It very much isn’t. At least here in Germany, you can get a brand new Galaxy A06 for 80€ (incl. tax). The phone released end of November '24.
I can’t speak to the quality of the phone but it does exist.
Okay. I was accused of making this claim but I don't keep up with Samsung at all. Firstly, I found their product quality insanely abysmal. Secondly, their prices seem to have gone up. Thirdly, the bloatware they put on their phones could never be worth it at any price.
Yea, I wouldn’t personally get a Samsung, even if I was in the market for a cheap Android…