Well, the most expensive possible phone has increased in price. You can still buy cheap phones. If anything electronics are one of the more inflation resistant products. You can buy a new laptop today for less than a couple decades ago, and it will be a lot faster.
Comment on UK phone retailers lock shop doors while trading to tackle rising thefts
Jrockwar@feddit.uk 2 days ago
When the iPhone X was released (2017), the £1000 pricing was considered ridiculous. Most flagships at the time cost about £600 (this is what the 2016 iPhone 7 cost at launch, with the iPhone 7 Plus having a starting price of £720).
Obviously this didn’t stop Apple from selling them like hotcakes and establishing an immediate +30% increase of the flagship smartphone prices.
Today, a Galaxy Z Fold starts at £1800. This is a +146% increase over the 2017 release price of the Galaxy Note 7.
According to the bank of England, we’ve seen a total inflation of 34% in the 2017-2025, while phones have increased their prices by >100%.
So yeah, no surprise there. As phones keep rising in value, they are going to continue becoming an increasingly desirable target for thefts. A gym bag full of smartphone boxes can easily have over £20k at retail prices, and easily fetch £10k when sold at a hefty discount, but a smartphone store doesn’t have the security measures of a jewelry store. I can see how it’s attractive to thieves.
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 days ago
rayquetzalcoatl@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Who on earth is paying £1800 minimum for a bloody mobile phone??? That’s insane!
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 days ago
People that think £83 a month is something they can afford to pay so they are easily pushed to spend more and more. Meanwhile I am paying £4 a month.
rayquetzalcoatl@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Oooh how did you get down to £4? I’m on £6, only 5GB data and I hit the limit every month.
£83 a month on a phone is fucking mental. That’s a council tax payment in some places. That’s more than my gas + electricity.
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 days ago
Really? B and paying like £176 a month on council tax, feels like a waste of money. Like we have bin collections unnecessarily frequently, wish I could have a reduced bill and fewer collections.
As for the phone, Asda calls/SMS only.
andrewta@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I don’t even pay you that much for a gaming tower computer. Yeah I agree it insane. There’s no way I pay that for a simple phone.