yet they’re still priced and treated culturally like luxury toys

  • MrMamiya@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    I use my phone a lot. Like 4 hours a day. I don’t use a computer at home, just the phone. Let’s say my phone cost $1000. Oh wait, I upgrade every 2 years so I got $800 for my trade. So it’s $200.

    I use the phone 4 hours per day. 2 years is 730 days. (200/730)/4=~7 cents per hour. I pay $50 more and I never worry. You have to get on the ride though, and I understand that’s out of reach for a lot of people.

    • Globulart@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You get 80% of the price you paid for a phone 2 years later?

      I’m calling bullshit there. I could buy a brand new iPhone 13 for £599 today when it released at £779 in September 2021. Why would they give you more than the cost of a new one…?

      Or for android, a brand new Samsung S22 costs £499 today and released in early 2022 for £769.

      No way you’re getting 80% of what you paid for it after 2 years of use.

      • MrMamiya@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        US. Competition between carriers. Trade in was $1000 for the iPhone 8+ when I got an 11 pro. I paid $4/month on a 11 pro, and traded that for $800 and now pay a little more for a 13 pro. We don’t buy phones with cash here.

        • Globulart@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          If that were the case couldn’t I literally buy a phone with cash and trade it in for more value?Right now in the US you can buy an iPhone 13 for $475 from Walmart, but a carrier will give you a trade in value of $640ish you reckon?

          We generally don’t buy phones with cash here either and there are plenty of networks competing, but nobody offers 80% of what you paid 2 years later as a trade in, because they simply aren’t worth it.

          Not saying you’re lying, I just don’t see the logic, feel like I’m missing something.

          • MrMamiya@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            They make all the money off the cell service. If you’re paying for a phone you’re less likely to leave the service. They don’t just hand you cash they give a bill credit. It’s convoluted and not super ideal.

            Edit to clarify: a monthly bill credit, usually over 24 months.

            • Globulart@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Yeah I figured that out by pretending to buy one on the at&t site. They eat the cost of the phone because in the US the network fees are mental from what I could tell.

          • Globulart@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Jesus I just set up an iPhone 15 purchase with at&t claiming to trade in your phone and yeah it’s $1000 trade in. However I couldn’t work out why it was a final price of 0 so I kept going, the actual network plans are fucking insane prices so I guess that’s where they make their money back. In the UK I pay £20 a month for a Samsung s22 and £20 a month for 200gb data and unlimited calls/texts. The equivalent of about $50 a month total without even trading in my old phone.

            I was feeling hard done by until I got to the network plans, fuck me.

    • zeppo@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I agree. I get an insane amount of use from my phone both at home and away from home. Much more than the desktops and laptops I have. Buying a new one for $800 sucks but that only happens once every 3-4 years.

          • MrMamiya@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            Oof.

            If I give you a banana for a dollar and you eat half of it and then trade it back to me for 75 cents, then give me a quarter for a new banana did you pay me $2?

            The phone I traded isn’t worth what they’re giving me if I sell it open market. I don’t understand how you got your numbers, but I can see you figured it out by the fact your post is deleted.

              • MrMamiya@feddit.de
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                1 year ago

                Yeah but the 1200 is now spread out over 4 years, making my phone cost go from 500/yr to 300/yr. Let’s say next time it adds 200. Now I’m in for $1400 over 6 years, for a cost of $233.33/yr. Repeat for $1600 over 8 years, now I’m doing better than you and I have a top of the line phone.

                You’re speaking like the old phone is money. It’s not. It’s an old phone I don’t want that someone who wants to take advantage of me in another way will pay way too much for.

                This isn’t an investment. A car is not an investment. Money will be exchanged for goods and services.

                You have to forget about the initial $1200, that’s the entry fee. You will always need a phone. You will never not pay for that privilege. I can afford a nice phone and it makes financial sense to me to do that. I’m not better than you. We’re both doing our best.

                I guess what I’m saying is I know the game and I am playing it with intent and the knowledge that another way might be cheaper. What is money for if not comfort?