[minthd]

Actually ,people in the end do pay more, but it's subtle.

Say you we're a customer that bought an iPhone every 2 years.

Now Apple's yearly plan looks like:

1. A new iPhone every year + Apple care

2. Same price

3. Don't have to deal with salesman at carrier store.

So more people will be tricked for new iPhone every year.

And once this becomes the standard , since Apple is a status symbol - suddenly buying a phone every 2 years carries less status.

[ghshephard]

"Apple is a status symbol" - I wonder where in the world that is true. Certainly not the case for Canada/US/Singapore - an iPhone is just another smart phone.

[analog31]

Just an anecdatum, for amusement: My kids seem to know which kids at school have an iPhone. But they think that Samsung makes a better phone. This is without them having first hand knowledge of either.

Also, my impression from conversations with them over the years: The kids who were the youngest when they got cell phones, e.g., fifth grade or younger, got iPhones.

[pinaceae]

any data to back up your claim?

talked to kids and minors? hipsters and millenials? people that do all their computing on their phones? the multitude of people that watch apple keynotes, youtube product reviews, etc?

anything besides your gut feeling?

[andrepd]

It certainly is the case in many places in the world. Just look at Apple marketing and the "premium" branding they emphasize on all their products.