Apple products have conquered the markets of most countries of the world, despite the considerable cost. But why is the iPhone so expensive? A short answer to this question is as follows. An iPhone is expensive compared to many Android phones for several reasons: firstly, Apple develops and produces not only the hardware of each phone, but also software. Secondly, the manufacturer controls the entire user interface.
Historically, many competitors (for example, Samsung) release phones and use the Google operating system to launch them. In the case of the iPhone, a thorough integration of software and hardware is carried out, which is more resource-intensive. Therefore, this naturally raises the price of the phone.
To this we can add one more point. If you look at everything that comes with the iPhone, there are dozens of metals that need to be mined from all over the globe, hand-made spare parts and complex components (such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, multi-touch sensors, Gorilla Glass and incredibly compact and powerful A-series processors) , the smartphone no longer seems so expensive. It can perform more tasks than many desktop PCs. This explains why an iPhone is more expensive than a computer.
Apple also continues to position the iPhone as a high-end product, preventing it from becoming a leader in some large emerging markets (such as India). This gives the company the opportunity to receive much higher profits from each device, unlike competitors. Today, the iPhone is the most profitable product in modern history.
All this makes it clear why the iPhone is so expensive. In addition, there are many reasons why the iPhone is better than Android. This is especially noticeable when you compare the capabilities of Android 8.0 and iOS 11.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus may not provide great features, but still, these devices have received good reviews from many buyers. Models 8 and 8 Plus are currently available, which have received wireless chargers and upgraded cameras. Most recently, the iPhone X entered the market, received an addition in the form of Face ID. All this makes it possible to understand why iPhone 10 is so expensive and why it is better for many users compared to Android devices.
Programs and Services
IPhone applications appear first and look better than similar services in Android. Most popular programs are available on both platforms, but many of the best games and applications still appear on the iPhone in the first place. Of course, often similar services appear on both platforms at the same time, but many of them exist only for iOS.
Moreover, even when applications are available simultaneously on iPhone and Android, you can see the best design in the version for iPhone. This is still true in 2017. For example, you can observe some new features for Snapchat and Spotify services, but on iPhone X they are much better represented. Moreover, some new applications appear only on an iPhone with AR support. Some dynamic games appeared in the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X at the end of this year, and in the future will only be available on the iOS platform. This explains why people buy iPhones so expensive.
In simple words, applications are an area where the gap between mobile OS is gradually closing, but the differences still exist and remain noticeable. Obviously, Apple takes better care of the AppStore. Recently, developers removed 47,300 applications from the store that were unsuccessful or outdated.
Quick updates
IPhone owners enjoy fast and regular iOS updates no matter which model they use.
Updates on Android take several months to adapt to all devices. After the Android device turns one and a half years old, the user may need to purchase a new smartphone to get the latest software.
Apple delivers iPhone updates for devices that are even three years old. So, the company offers support for the 4s model on iOS 9, while for older Android phones the same is not available. In this platform, device support ends much faster. Google promises a maximum of two years for Nexus devices, for devices from other manufacturers - even less. This is a very objective reason why an iPhone is more expensive than other phones.
Work with all devices
If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, your data is easily copied from one device to another. You can quickly sync photos with all devices, answer a phone call using your iPad or Mac, and send text messages. There is also Handoff support that allows you to run a task on your iPhone and continue to work on your iPad or Mac.
In general, the connection between these devices is exactly what Android cannot achieve without relying on a collection of third-party gadget applications and services.
Thanks to AirDrop, accessing files from iPhone to Mac is also faster and easier. This built-in service sends the file wirelessly directly to the Mac, even if there are other Wi-Fi sources nearby.
However, you won’t be able to use Android for this purpose so quickly and functionally. By comparing this, we can conclude how well the iPhone interacts with the MacBook and simplifies the tasks that you perform several times every day. All this clearly demonstrates why an iPhone is more expensive than an android.
No third party services
There are no additional mobile apps on the iPhone when you buy a new device. Many Android phones come with many brand-specific services pre-installed, many of which you'll never use.
It is often impossible to remove these additional applications, you can only disable them. This means that they still remain on your phone and take up space. This is a small problem right after the purchase, but after a year, when you need more memory, and you can’t quickly clear it, it can cause difficulties.
Unlike android, the iPhone out of the box is more like an empty slider. In addition, in iOS 10, you can delete some user data and hide unnecessary Apple applications.
AppleCare iPhone Warranty
Another reason why the iPhone is so expensive is the additional risk insurance. Apple offers an iPhone warranty of $ 99 to $ 129, which extends the manufacturer’s commitment by two years and adds the same user support. This service is called AppleCare +, and its analogues are absent in most Android phones.
HTC offers 1-year free UhOh protection that compensates for cracked screen repairs and water damage. Samsung offers an additional guarantee for Galaxy smartphones, which costs between 99 and 129 US dollars, depending on the model. This service offers features similar to AppleCare +, but it does not allow replacing the device. The rest of the world of Android smartphones does not have such guarantees. Therefore, it is obvious why the iPhone is so expensive and popular.
Device sharing
When your friends use the iPhone too, things get a little easier. For example, if you want to share your location with another iPhone user, you only need to send one message. Sharing photos, links or files is also very easy with AirDrop.
On the other hand, if you interact with Android devices in the same way, you will need to download several applications in order to maintain the same level of data exchange. Samsung simplifies this process with Android Marshmallow devices, but these are just the first attempts. For this reason, it is also obvious why the iPhone is more expensive than the Samsung.
It costs more when you resell
The iPhone retains its value longer than an Android phone. If you sell your smartphone on Android, which is 1-2 years old, even the flagship device, you often get much less money for it than you paid. At the same time, when selling an older iPhone, you can get an amount almost double the cost of the Android phone that came out simultaneously with it.
For example, the 2015 Galaxy S6 in perfect condition costs $ 130 today. The iPhone 6, which came out a few months after it, costs now $ 195. This also explains why iPhones are so expensive in Russia.
This trend is changing slightly due to improved build quality and higher demand for the latest Android devices, but for now, used iPhones are still more expensive. In addition, the value of the device depends on its prevalence: limited series are always more expensive. Therefore, it becomes clear why a red iPhone is more expensive.
Lightning and micro USB
Apple uses the Lightning cable to charge and sync the iPhone. This wire is significantly superior to the Micro USB cable that most Android phones use for a similar purpose.
When applying Lightning, there is no wrong way to connect it, because there is no top and bottom in it. Micro USB cables make users try to plug in the cord several times before finding out the correct direction and angle of insertion into the connector.
The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are equipped with wireless charging support that works better than Lightning, but some features still require a Micro USB cable. Despite the fact that its scope is gradually narrowing, it is still used on many phones.
Shops and Support
When downloading applications does not go as planned, or when installing any service, the iPhone's performance deteriorates, AppleStore instantly makes a cancellation. You can solve this problem in a few hours, and not wait a day or two with an idle iPhone. Customer support at AppleStore is often presented one step higher than the help that manufacturers of Android devices can provide by phone or in specialized stores. And since all support is directed from the United States, it becomes obvious why iPhones are so expensive in Russia.
Ease of use
The iPhone is still easier to set up and use than most Android phones. Even a kettle can start using a smartphone. It also gives an explanation of why iPhone X is so expensive.
Google today provides greater ease of use than older versions of Android, but not all phones use these updates. For example, Samsung has come a long way in simplifying Android with EasyMode, but there are still some problems. This is not a problem for advanced users, but for people who do not want the settings to be changed randomly, this can be difficult. This is especially due to the use of Wi-Fi or Cellular.
Headphone Control
If you like listening to music and you need to constantly control your playlist, iPhone has advantages with headphones that can control many aspects of playback.
Standard iPhone Headphones can play, pause, skip forward or backward a track. IPhone users can also control volume without the need of a phone, thanks to its increase and decrease buttons. In addition, Apple includes the ability to launch Siri so that users can simultaneously make a phone call and perform other actions.
This is a big advantage that is missing on most Android phones. Today, there are more options for controlling headphones on Android devices, but they are far from universal.
iMessage, FaceTime, and FaceTime Audio
Apple makes it easy to communicate with other iPhone and iPad owners by providing three unique services that provide fast and easy connectivity.
iMessage allows users to send longer messages at a time, and they can be sent to any other Apple device that belongs to it.
FaceTime provides a great way to video chat. Unlike Hangouts, it is built into the phone app, so with a simple click of a button it’s easy to switch from a phone call to a video call. FaceTime Audio also helps iPhone users make calls when network coverage is intermittent, using data to make an audio call. The sound calls of this app also sound better than a regular call, and work when you have a poor cellular signal but still have Wi-Fi.
Improved notification control
The iPhone still does a better job of managing notifications. Android makes cleaning them easier, but still doesn't classify them very well.
On iPhone, you can see a brief overview of what is happening today and access widgets that let you update information and then use notifications. In contrast, Android devices do not have any settings that allow switching.
Storage and media use cases
You can add a Micro SD card to your Android smartphone, but the device will not recognize it as if you had an iPhone with 64 GB or 128 GB of its own memory. The Galaxy S7 has a feature that essentially tricks the phone into making it see the Micro SD as part of its internal storage. Because of this, you cannot move all applications to the SD card, and programs for which you use widgets cannot be copied to it.
All the above arguments explain in detail why the iPhone is so expensive. Perhaps, over time, its cost will decrease, but at present equal competitors for this device have not yet been released.