Smartphones expensive? Well, that depends who you speak to and which brand or spec’ they require. There are some new smartphones that will cost you under £100. These are usually Android Go. This is a trimmed down version of Android designed to meet the needs of less tech inclined people. It was also developed to make basic spec android phones more widespread.
Many smartphone users do not know the tech they hold in their hands. A large percentage have probably never even looked at the settings app.
Would someone who just wants a device for watching youtube while on the train plus the occasional phonecall require face unlock and gesture control?
Our guess is they wouldn’t.
But by adding ‘gesture control’ you can take that price tag up a notch more. By adding, ‘Face unlock’ or ‘wireless charging’ the notch moves higher.
At this point the general user is either priced out or has to bite the bullet and stump up the funds. It all depends on their tech needs and what they really need the device for. If needed for work, then paying that price may be the only option.
Smartphones Expensive? Past Price Analysis
My first smartphone was £269. This was a Oneplus 2 (Entered the smartphone game late due to PC at home). I do not even have the device any longer, though a friend of mine is still using it today without issue. My friend listens to music, takes phonecalls, browses the net and plays games without issue. This phones price was a cool £5-600 pounds less than some of the phones we see today.
Comparing that same phone to devices released today? Very little has really changed, apart from the price of course. Newer devices have less, if you consider a 3.5mm AUX port a boon then you can see where i am coming from. Obviously, a smartphone that’s 3 years old will not be ready for 5G.
If smartphone manufacturers are going to continue to progress then the top of the line price needs serious reconsideration. We do realise here that some of the components can be rather pricey.
A top of the range Samsung in 2010 was $199 (£165) Today the new models start at a minimum of $749 (£620)
The iphone came out in 2007 priced at a respectable $395 (£327). Today the iphone Xs starts at £999.
With 4G/5G reality, a trade war on the rise and industrial spats developing between South Korea and Tokyo. Are we going to be seeing price hikes? Who knows?
Final Thoughts
The real question is, are smartphones expensive or are they good value for what you get?
When purchasing that Oneplus 2, it was an outright purchase, not tied to a contract. This was because I wanted the processing power the phone was packing at the time. I also wanted the device to actually be mine, just like my home computer.
The answer truly lies with each individual user. How much they use it, what they use it for, etc. This in mind, the onus on manufacturers should be the education of customers prior to purchase. Do I really need 5G? Am I going to need face unlock if i only use it to keep in touch and watch youtube?
It would be good if these answers were readily available to each possible customer.
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