The cost of mobile phones.

[PassingStranger]

Why are phones so bloody expensive?

My ideal phone would be a Google pixel 10 or 10 pro plus.
These are about 1,500 pounds to buy outright, more if you pay monthly.
Does anyone know anyone who affords this type of phone for themselves?

Are we being ripped off?
I expect its about the same with the new I phone too?

Get a reconditioned phone from somewhere like the big phone store and pay a fraction of the price. 929 and pay through Klarna.

You are buying a brand and they know it and whack the prices up accordingly.

And my ideal house would have eight bedrooms and a swimming pool. But that doesn't fit my budget and I am realistic enough to realise that three bedrooms is plenty and more than a lot of people have.

what on earth do they do a much cheaper phone can't? In the early days of the smartphone there was such an evolution from year to year but it has all flatlined. Why do you need the latest pixel? Status?

I am using an 8 year old bashed huawei. My husband has a much newer phone and there is nothing my phone can't which his can 🤷

Exactly. Likewise cars, it's like saying 'why do cars cost £200k' as if a supercar is the only type that is available, functional and good quality.

There are plenty of affordable phones which will still be half decent. But of course if you want something brand new and top notch you pay for it. I, or my toddler, drop my phone too often to spend too much on one.

Why do you need the top spec one? I am perfectly happy with my £3-400 Sony. The camera is great - granted it's not fantastic in lower light, but the actual sensors and lenses are good. I sideloaded GCam (google's camera app) onto it for low light photos which does better, but I take most photos in good light anyway, and I prefer a nicer quality image in the first place than a mediocre image enhanced by AI. Depending on what you actually want out of a phone you can probably get one much cheaper. Most people only use their phone for texting, calling, photos and social media.

Have a look at the reviews of mid-range or budget handsets on GSM Arena and see if you can find something which will do what you want.

I had an iPhone 10 and my DD iPhone 6 and both worn to the ground both stopped working within days we were on sim only and I upgraded us to new handsets me iPhone 14 Plus and her iPhone 12. We are due upgrades next year. I won’t be until mines dies. Her phone isn’t the best so I’ll upgrade hers. I used to love a new phone but now i see it as a luxury xx

They have the latest processors i think too. Everything is superfast.

OK, but what do you do on a phone that needs to be superfast?

Paid £125 for my Samsung- just won't pay any more than that, couldn't warrant it
Dd wants and iPhone so we told her to start saving but after seeing the price she decided maybe not after all!

Most people have those phones on a contract deal. Usually the most expensive contract deals come with those phones. The phone is the way to sell the contract deal. Years ago (no idea if this is still the case as I'm on a sim only deal and just buy a cheaper smartphone that does 99% of what the newest iPhone and Samsung do), you used to be able to go on a cheaper contract and then pay x amount towards the phone. So for example the latest phone would be on the £50 per month contract deal, but you could go on the £30 a month deal and then pay £400 towards the phone. Other people will buy a refurbished one outright or a lot of people who are on the contract deals sell their old phone on when they upgrade.

About 42 quid (incl Netflix) with EE. Been with them for many years.

I have an Oppo phone which I think cost about £300 when I got it and it does everything I need.

I am with 02 at the moment on SIM only for about £15/month but my contract ends around the time they are hiking their prices up, so will look to move to someone like Tesco Mobile or Giffgaff at that time.

(I just double checked the price of contract... Roughly 42 per month - some is paying device cost, once that's paid, it's mine. Coincides with end of the contract though, so probs will just upgrade at that point) 👍📱

I have a midrange iPhone 15 that’s about a year old now. I usually wait until after the new iPhone is released and then upgrade to what was previously the newest model.

I either buy it direct from apple with their 0% finance for 2 years and then a sim only contract or I buy it on a contract. My current one is £42 all in. I sometimes keep the handset an extra year once it’s paid off and then have it on a sim only contract but depends how well it’s held up.

I then usually sell my old one afterwards. I don’t think it’s crazy money considering how much use it gets and how many different things it does. I hate using an old slow phone with a rubbish battery personally so it’s my one luxury.

If you buy a phone over 36 months say.
Does that mean you have to keep it quite a long time.

Apparantely the next big thing is smart glasses.

Sorry should say keep it for 36 months.

Yeah, it's a 36 month contract - I could theoretically just keep the phone after, and continue with a much cheaper contract - but I guess the phones gradually become slower/fuller/nearer obsoletion etc.
Google had smart glasses some years ago... whatever happened to them? 🤔👓

I have a three year old Samsung Android phone that I bought outright for £270. It does all I need perfectly well.

Smart lhones are mini computers, not juat phones. That is why the lastest, top of the range ones are more expensive. Just like laptops.

Get stolen!

It is also interesting that when everyone is screaming 'cost of living crisis' enough people are willing to pay £1000 for a phone to make it worth the manufacturers making them.

apparently, they are fast 😂

The thieves must have better eyesight than me if they can spot the difference between a phone worth stealing and a £100 basic smartphone with a cracked screen from the back of a motorbike.

I have a Pixel 9 that I got when it was new (had been out a month) and it's unlimited data for £31 a month. 2 year contract. I don't know anyone who even looks at the outright cost price of a handset.

Edit - I know people don't want to or can't pay that but in the early 2000s phone contracts were about £30 a month so I don't think they have increased as much as they could have given inflation.

Anyone paying more than £200 for a phone is choosing premium over functionality. Like paying £100k rather than £30k for a car. If you choose to pay that much its fine but not really a rational choice.