Slashdot Mirror


Would You Buy the iPhone 8 If It Cost $1,200? (9to5mac.com)

As we near the launch of the next iPhone, rumors are swirling about what it may feature. One of the most recent reports comes from developer and blogger John Gruber, who claims the iPhone 8 will have a starting price of around $1200. 9to5Mac reports: He last week said that he believed that what we've been referring to as the iPhone 8 would be called the iPhone Pro and that he actually hoped it would be really expensive: "I hope the iPhone Pro starts at $1500 or higher. I'd like to see what Apple can do in a phone with a higher price." As you might imagine, that generated quite a bit of discussion. Gruber has backed down somewhat from this position, and is now suggesting a starting point of around $1200: "$1,500 as a starting price is probably way too high. But I think $1,200 is quite likely as the starting price, with the high-end model at $1,300 or $1,400." His argument is effectively that Apple is constrained in what it can do in a phone because any technology included in the phone has to be available in huge volumes. If it were willing to sell fewer at a higher price, then it would have more options. There has been speculation that Gruber may have been tipped by Apple, and using his posts to prepare the ground for what would otherwise be a severe case of sticker shock. But Gruber denied this. If Apple does launch the iPhone 8 with a 4-figure price tag, would you buy it?

322 of 561 comments (clear)

  1. No way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    But I wouldn't be surprised if the legions of apple fans would pay nearly any amount for one.

    1. Re:No way by CaptQuark · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Pay the same for a phone as I would for a full-featured gaming computer, including monitor? No way!!

      ---

    2. Re:No way by RotateLeftByte · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't buy new anyway.
      I hope that lots of Fanbois dive in and shell out $1200 or more for their next iToy.
      Then I can get an iPhone 6s from a pawn shop at a decent price.

      See, every cloud does have a silver lining...

      --
      I'd rather be riding my '63 Triumph T120.
    3. Re:No way by wierd_w · · Score: 5, Informative

      No. I would not buy one for 5$.

      I am opposed to the basic principles of the Apple ecosystem--

      Ever tried to make your own ringtone for an apple device? Be prepared to deal with proprietary audio formats, having to use the itunes backup feature to push the 3rd party re-encoded tune to the phone, and having to wade through literally thousands of paid endorsements to buy ringtones when you try to look up how to do it. OR-- you could just get an android phone, push any supported media file (which are industry standard formats) into the RINGTONES folder, then pick it.

      Perhaps you want to do something else, like say-- play a gameboy game on your device? Oh-- sorry, no. Apple does not allow virtualized software to run on iDevices. :( It makes apple sad pandas, and they wont let those dangerous, nasty applications into the app store. It is for YOUR protection, citizen!

      Why the fuck would I want a device that bends over backwards to STOP me from using it, EXCEPT in the shamelessly commercialized way the creators envisioned?

      Fuck that noise.

    4. Re: No way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Go away, redditer! Over here we say, "You Insensitive Clod!".

    5. Re:No way by gnasher719 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ever tried to make your own ringtone for an apple device?

      I had to make a ringtone for my wife's phone. Can't remember the exact steps (googling may have been involved), but there wasn't anything difficult about it. Just the first 20 seconds of a song from a CD that I had ripped into iTunes. And I used AAC, not Apple Lossless, so there were no proprietary formats used.

    6. Re: No way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      BULLSHIT as usual.
      iPhone ringtones are standard M4A files, 40 seconds or less in length.
      To get one onto an iPhone you just change the extension to .m4r and drop it into the ringtones folder in iTunes.

    7. Re: No way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So you need to have the shitshow called iTunes installed on a PC??

    8. Re: No way by andreas.hummelbrunne · · Score: 1

      You know that not only Apple makes smartphones that you don't have to carry around in a suitcase, right?

    9. Re: No way by GrandCow · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You should probably reevaluate your outlook on life. If someones job determines if you would help them or not when they were in a life threatening situation, your brain is broken and you should probably seek some help.

      --
      "Well kids, you tried your best, and you failed. The lesson is, never try." -Homer Simpson
    10. Re:No way by GrandCow · · Score: 5, Informative

      Special app? You mean iTunes? You make a ringtone in iTunes, the only "hard" part is you rename the file from a .m4a extension to a .m4r extension, then use iTunes to move it to your phone. You don't need any special app to "import" it to the phone, you just use iTunes.

      I have taught 80-year-old people how to do this.

      Sorry you hate Apple enough that you never looked up how to do it?

      --
      "Well kids, you tried your best, and you failed. The lesson is, never try." -Homer Simpson
    11. Re: No way by sheramil · · Score: 1

      You should probably reevaluate your outlook on life. If someones job determines if you would help them or not when they were in a life threatening situation, your brain is broken and you should probably seek some help.

      "God created cold so we could burn more Catholics!"

      - Lady Whiteadder

    12. Re: No way by qbast · · Score: 1

      Damn man, not being able to afford iPhone made you really bitter.

    13. Re: No way by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 5, Funny

      if 1200 bucks is gonna break you thats your own fault.

      Sure it is. Only the lazy and feckless don't have $1200 sitting around waiting for the right phone to come along. I bet if you check their physiognomy you'll find they have the low brow and cranial bumps of the genetically poor.

    14. Re:No way by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      You still need to use a special app from the appmarket to "implant" your ringtone into the system, because you can't just say from the system menu: "Use this file"

      I most definitely did _not_ use any iPhone application to do this. Just iTunes. Pick a song in your library, set start and end point until it loops nicely, make a copy to get rid of the unwanted megabytes of music, I don't know if I needed to change the file type, and move it to "Ring tones". See, you thought of a way how it could be done that didn't work. I instead used a way that worked.

    15. Re:No way by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      I work this way too (although not impressed with iphones so I avoid them). But I buy my phones and my cars secondhand - it saves me a lot of money with no downsides that I've ever found.

      Keep it to yourself though - without all the suckers paying silly money for new things, the second hand market would dry up.

    16. Re:No way by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      You still need to use a special app from the appmarket to "implant" your ringtone into the system, because you can't just say from the system menu: "Use this file"

      What I find fascinating is that I _did_ create a ringtone for my wife's iPhone, and _you didn't_, yet you claim that you know better than I what tools I needed to do it. Don't you think that is rather stupid and pretentious of you?

    17. Re:No way by Dr.+Evil · · Score: 1

      It does what I need it to do. I got on with my life. Lasts years too, it's reliable and I don't need to do maintenance reboots. It's also not subsidized by a marketing analytics company, so yeah, it tends to be pricey. The resale value and long life more than make up for it.

      $1200 is fine for people who make reasonable money and just don't care about an extra $400-$500 for something they use every single day.

      My phone is a "production" device. If I want to hack around, I'll get a tablet or something as "non prod". The Gameboy emulator will stay away from the device I use for banking.

    18. Re: No way by Kartu · · Score: 2

      None of my files are m4a, sorry.
      I don't need any special software to move files to an android device or make music in any format a ring tone.

      My experience with iDevices was similiar to the OPs.
      Started with "nice built quility" continued with "connect me to iTunes" when switched on (WTF), oh, I can't access (nonDRM) files I have put myself on the device (WTF), oh, I need to install iTunes on my notebook if I want to copy files from it (WTF), oh, it asks me to sync... (WTF), oh, files from desktop are gon... (WTF)

      It's a piece of shit experience with all sorts of BS explanations to somehow excuse grabbing money for doing pretty much any step.

    19. Re:No way by RotateLeftByte · · Score: 1

      The fashionistas love parading their newest bit of bling iToys included.
      The discard perfectly good phones because they are not regarded as 'cool' any more.
      That means others can benefit from their fads.
      Try it yourself sometime. There are even a couple of Galaxy S8's available in one pawn shop I know of in London. Sadly then both need new screens but for £349 each they are a bargain.

      --
      I'd rather be riding my '63 Triumph T120.
    20. Re: No way by dbialac · · Score: 2

      Doubtful. Iphone 6 will remain in demand because of the headphone jack.

    21. Re:No way by Vermonter · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sorry but I would rather not have to download a specific Apple program and create an Apple account and give Apple personal info, just for the sake of putting a ringtone on my personal device. And then pay Apple an extremely high profit margin just to do it. It amazes how much Apple fans will put off with, and then make the claim "well it's just so easy and it just works". OK, well Android is also easy, and just works, and can be learned with the same amount of minimal effort that. Truth be told, Apple and Android devices are both fully functional phones. One relies heavily on proprietary software and formats and has an extremely high profit margin, the other uses industry standards and costs a lot less. You can tell me that Apple is easy to use all day long, and I won't argue the point, because it's moot.

    22. Re: No way by sabbede · · Score: 1

      Reevaluate Outlook? Why? It's the industry standard in just about every industry there is... Oh, wait. Have I misunderstood your point?

    23. Re: No way by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Good for you. I do all those things on my phone as well and it cost me £150. But then I also paid £5000 for my last car and it did me well for 12 years (before I needed more room than an executive saloon could offer). Whose fault is it if you're paying over the odds for your phone AND your car?

      I like people like you - because without you I couldn't buy top of the range goods for pennies on the pound.

    24. Re: No way by jellomizer · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Products are not always about utility. That is why some people have Luxury Car while others have the basic cars. Some people like sport cars that can go real fast even though most roads cannot handle them. Some people will buy a watch for thousands of dollars, while it will work just as well as a cheapo one that you can get out of a vending machine.

      Like it or not, status symbols have value in our culture. Even if you see someone with one and you think they are a pretentious snob, it means the status symbol is working. Because a truly ineffective status symbol is something that someone has and no one really cares or makes any judgement based on it. Say the brand of paperclips you use.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    25. Re:No way by midifarm · · Score: 1

      I am a legionaire and I would never pay that much for a phone.

    26. Re: No way by whopis · · Score: 5, Funny

      Prada of course. I simply could not dream of using any other paperclip. Granted that at $185 a piece it is more expensive than other paperclips but, for some of us, quality matters.

      When you consider the lifetime cost of assuring that your papers stay together, it just makes sense. Of course there are those luddites and fashion-challenged people who just don't understand. Fortunately for them there are plenty of bargain basement opportunities when it comes to their clipping needs.

      For me, I just wouldn't feel comfortable trusting my documents with anything else.

      http://www.avclub.com/amp/2577...

    27. Re:No way by FictionPimp · · Score: 1

      When I buy a $1500 notebook, I expect it to last at least 5 years. The same will be true if I buy a $1500 iphone. I really love my iphone and I hope to they don't do something like this. It was annoying enough to switch from android to ios, I don't want to go back.

    28. Re: No way by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      1200 bucks is gonna break you thats your own fault.

      $1200 won't "break me", but I can sure as hell think of much better things to spend the money on.

      When you can buy a year and a half-old tech premium phone for under $300- it seems silly to spend $1200 on something only marginally better.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    29. Re: No way by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 2

      You're half right. Status symbols have value to YOU. Personally I value utility and aesthetic value. Not only is status value pointless to me, but it doesn't even help define someone's status. Not since even those with the lowest status can buy status symbols on credit (and often do). Does a big luxury car mean you are rich and successful or are you scraping by with debt up to the eyeballs? I don't know, or care.

      But keep buying those expensive new products - as I already said, I need you to supply the second hand market.

    30. Re: No way by Freedom+Bug · · Score: 1

      I easily get $10,000 of utility out of my phone. If I had to pay $10K, I would.

      But luckily for me a $400 phone has 99% of the (theoretical) utility of a $10,000 phone. I don't get $9600 more utility out of a $10,000 phone than I do out of a $400 phone.

    31. Re: No way by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 2

      Go away, redditer! Over here we say, "You Insensitive Clod!".

      I am both a redditer and a slashdotter you motherfucker insensitive clod!

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    32. Re: No way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      No, idiot. They steered clear because whatever boat or Suburban Assault Vehicle you were driving took up the whole lane and was more threatening to heir personal safety in the event of an accident.

      Next thing you are going to tell me is that bus or semi drivers have the highest social status because most drivers don't want to fuck with them.

    33. Re: No way by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      This. Plus at that price point it will absolutely lose 50% of it's price in the first 120 days. The higher the entry fee the greater the fall on the used market or even the new market after release.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    34. Re: No way by cayenne8 · · Score: 1
      Well, to be fair....there are actually a LOT of people out there, that don't consider $1200 as being a lot of money...to them, that is pocket change.

      No, I'm not one of them, but I know a lot of them....and it isn't uncommon.

      And even with me, while I don't consider $1200 to be cheap, I also don't think it breaks the bank either....I tend to be the type that doesn't buy a lot of trivial shit here and there constantly.

      I tend to save my money and 2-3 times a year, I drop a wad of money on something I really want. Earlier this year, I dropped about $2370 on a new lens for my camera. It was a Canon 11-24 f/4 zoom lens....this monster usually lists for about $3K, I found one on the canon refurb site for the sale price and jumped on it.

      Now..do I buy things like this willy-nilly all the time. No.

      But, I had been researching, and plotting and planning AND...yes...SAVING to buy this and when this came up for sale I immediately pulled the trigger.

      I'm now quite happy with the new lens in my stable.

      So, yes...there are a lot of people out there with a LOT of disposable income. There are a lot of people out there with some disposable income, but with that...if you are choosy, you can save and have some really nice things. It really isn't that difficult at all.

      The key point is knowing how to save...and NOT go into CC debt hell.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    35. Re: No way by thundercattt · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't even take an iFone if it were a free upgrade. Crapple free is the way to be.

    36. Re: No way by werepants · · Score: 1

      Products are not always about utility.

      Products are ALWAYS about utility, it's just that in some case, the utility in question doesn't show up on a spec sheet. The utility of a status symbol is that it conspicuously communicates that you spend 10x-100x more for products than you need to. If that particular feature is meaningful to you it indicates a couple things: you primarily relate to people by trying to assert your superiority, your social circle (to the extent that it exists) probably consists of likeminded douchebags, and your checking account balance is higher than your self-esteem. Basically you willfully engage in the human equivalent of primate dominance displays.

      More rational people would rather focus on purchases that are better optimized for cost - because every luxury car you buy represents, in a real and final sense, extra years of labor and dependence on employers. Buying a $10k car instead of a $100k car in your 20's, after the opportunity cost and compound interest are considered, could let you retire many years earlier. Or just save it up for immediate freedom: that kind of money could allow you to travel the world for a year or two. You could start a small business with that money, you could give it to charity and save hundreds of lives (given that $200 in mosquito nets or deworming medicine will save a life, based on the statistical evidence). A luxury car may not be the very worst way to spend tens of thousands of dollars, but you don't see lots of people arguing that cash-fueled bonfires are worthwhile.

    37. Re:No way by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      That explains why every iPhone user always has the same ringtone: That xylophone tune.

    38. Re:No way by bozzy · · Score: 1

      I would consider iTunes itself to be a "special app". I haven't used an apple product in a while... You can't just copy the file to it as if it were a removable storage device?

    39. Re: No way by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      Some people like sport cars that can go real fast even though most roads cannot handle them.

      Like it or not, status symbols have value in our culture. Even if you see someone with one and you think they are a pretentious snob, it means the status symbol is working.

      It isn't always about status, nice things....

      Example, myself...I have never owned a car with more than 2 seats (technically, I had a 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo, that had something resembling rear seats, but no person could fit there, so doesn't count).....I worked and saved during High School....and in my senior year, my parents helped me out with some $ for early graduation, and I bought my first car...a 1978 Datsun 280Z.

      I worked most all weekends, missed most football games, etc...but I worked and saved for what I truly wanted.

      I've always had sports cars, I like to drive them, I like to drive fast, and yes, when road conditions are right, I do tend to light things up from time to time and enjoy the car.

      I have never bought any of my cars for what other folks thought about them....actually for most of my life, I was pretty oblivious to what others thought about them.

      It wasn't till about 15years or so ago, I was driving with a friend of mine in one of the early C5 corvettes, the new body style at the time. We'd gone down to the lake front and were running errand about town. He commented to me later "Man, you just don't have a clue do you?". I asked him what he was talking about, and he went on to say how much HE was noticing girls parked and driving near us, looking at us in the car, etc.

      I hadn't noticed a bit....but after that, I have started to try to notice if it is attracting female attention, turns out, a nice car can be "bait" for picking up ladies.

      But I think that shows that not everyone that buys nice things, or even somewhat exotic things, does it JUST to use as a status symbol and rub it in other peoples' faces.

      Some people just know what they want...if they're wealthy, then its easy, but for others, we just work and save and get things we really want in life.

      And, there's nothing at all wrong with treating yourself to some nice things in life, after all..that's one of the main reasons we actually work jobs.

      And is some cases...you get what you pay for.

      Take cooking gear....years back, I started buying pieces at a time, or specials on starter kits, of things like All-Clad SS pots and pans. I also have been investing in Wusthof-Trident knives...the good ones.

      Now...sure, I have pans that cost near $100 each...knives that do....but, I buy them once, and they will pretty much last beyond my lifetime. I use them a lot and rather than shell out a few bucks n cheap shit that wears out after 1-2 years, or doesn't even function that well new.....I just invest in quality and stuff that will last me long past the initial investment.

      So....those are factors to consider when you see someone with something nice.

      Not that there's anything wrong with that.....

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    40. Re: No way by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      Totally agree. My original post was in reply to someone's comment that ' if 1200 bucks is gonna break you thats your own fault'.

      I'm much like you - if something is useful to me I don't mind spending the money, but I want the best value for that money. Often that's second hand (or refurb) but if its better value I'll buy new. I've never found new to be better value for phones or cars though :).

    41. Re: No way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Like it or not, status symbols have value in our culture. Even if you see someone with one and you think they are a pretentious snob, it means the status symbol is working. Because a truly ineffective status symbol is something that someone has and no one really cares or makes any judgement based on it. Say the brand of paperclips you use.

      No, they don't have value. Fashion magazines and other dimwits make you think they have value, but they don't. I don't have a car, don't wear a watch, have a fairly old phone and I don't watch TV. Most people around me don't think less about me because of those. They don't think more either. And the ones who think less... I couldn't give a damn.

    42. Re: No way by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      Often that's second hand (or refurb) but if its better value I'll buy new. I've never found new to be better value for phones or cars though :).

      Well, I tend to agree with you largely..but some exceptions.

      With performance cars...it depends on the car, some you find are great garage queens...but you have to be on guard for those that were ragged out by previous owners. Takes some research and buyer beware, etc.

      With phones I have to ask you on that one....

      I've never bought a used phone, ever. I don't buy phones very often...I went from a flip phone to an iPhone 3GS....to an iPhone 6s Plus.

      Are you not potentially running into battery lifetime concerns with a used phone?

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    43. Re: No way by TheCastro1689 · · Score: 1

      I enjoy not feeling every bump in the road and having leg room and hearing the person I'm riding with though.

    44. Re: No way by TheCastro1689 · · Score: 1

      "Motherfucking insensitive clod!" or "insensitive clod motherfucker!" FTFY, also there are dozens of us slashitors!

    45. Re: No way by butchersong · · Score: 1

      I agree that status symbols are of value but I think that in most of these cases guys investing in these items would be better off purchasing a barbell for a few hundred bucks and putting the rest in big boy clothes instead of walking around in tshirts and jeans. Even if they are unaware of the root motivation, we all know it comes down to impressing the ladies. There are better ways.

    46. Re: No way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If it was a device usable for 10+ years, like a decent car, I'd agree with you. However, phones are next to useless in 2-3 years. This means, I pretty much have to pay $600 a year for something that is always taking front-line use and abuse.

      Does a top notch phone really give that much? A BLU phone does OK for pictures, plays my music with a MicroSD card, runs apps, has a fingerprint scanner, allows me to run basic apps, provides notifications... and all for a fraction of the price of an iPhone. It may not have Force Touch or have the feel-good aspect of an Apple product, but it does the job. Plus, if it is lost/stolen/broken, I spend another $200, restore my apps, and am back in business.

      Hey, if you like the Maybach, go for it. However, for most people, the Honda or Toyota is good enough for day to day things.

    47. Re: No way by ranton · · Score: 1

      I like people like you - because without you I couldn't buy top of the range goods for pennies on the pound.

      And I like people like you, because you provide a secondary market to lower the effective price of the latest high end products. You make my new car $20k less expensive since I can trade the old one in. And you save me about $200 every other year for each new phone I buy since I can sell mine back to Verizon.

      It's good there are different people with different priorities who can help each other out. Be careful not to be too smug in thinking your way is best though. Because I'm fairly certain there are billions of people who think your $5k car purchase is just as frivolous as my $50k car purchase.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    48. Re:No way by unixisc · · Score: 1

      No. I'm guessing one rational behind that is so that iPhone 7 prices don't drop. Or that John Grubber has nothing better to do w/ his money

      All I need for the iPhone is FaceTime, which is very adequate in iPhone 7 thanks to the camera, and Apple Pay. All my games are now on the iPad, and music on the iPod. So I hardly need anything bigger. The day my iPhone 7 dies, I'll go for whatever is the SE equivalent then.

    49. Re:No way by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      I believe it is marimba.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    50. Re: No way by unixisc · · Score: 1

      The iPhone SE is there for people w/ that need. And in Asian countries, where they use tablets as phablets, even an iPad Mini 4 could be used that way (since there, they don't provide data-only SIMs like they do here)

    51. Re: No way by ranton · · Score: 1

      Not only is status value pointless to me, but it doesn't even help define someone's status.

      Making effort to not be persuaded by status symbols is a laudable goal, but it shows lack of self-awareness if you believe you are above such things. Everyone is affected by status symbols, although of course we are all affected differently.

      Studies have shown workers have more job satisfaction if their company's physical setting shows a certain level of status. Dating is significantly impacted by your status, and it helps in both getting dates and maintaining long term relationships. Displaying status helps you both get a job and succeed in your position. There are probably no aspects of human life which are unaffected by status symbols.

      Status symbols are by no means the only factor in any situation, but anyone who ignores status handicaps themselves throughout life. You can still do well in life with almost any handicap, but why self inflict one on yourself. In theory it would be great to do away with them but our society is no where close to making that a viable reality.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    52. Re:No way by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Fully second this. I recently bought an iPod Nano - the tiniest iPod that comes w/ a screen, knowing that it doesn't have iTunes on it. So any music transfer has to be done from a laptop. iTunes on Windows had a tough time recognizing the iPod 2nd time around, when I wanted to add a couple of songs. In fact, that makes a Mac a must have if iTunes is needed.

      Normally, I just buy my favorites on iTunes on my iPad, and then it's there in my library. Reason I bought the iPod - in my car console, there is an USB slot that connects w/ the dashboard iPod player, which wouldn't play songs from, say, my Lumia. I don't always have my iPhone w/ me, so got the iPod to have all the songs handy. Other issue w/ the iPod - its Bluetooth hardly seems to recognize or connect to anything - all it's good for is either the car, or if I were to listen w/ a headphone.

    53. Re: No way by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      A Ferrari is built as if the only thing you will ever do with it is drive it to the racetrack.

      So is my toy, I've got about the price of a single Ferrari headlight retainer washer in my toy car. Cite: HotRod magazine, they rebuilt the Enzo wrecked on TV by some hollywood idiot and reported the costs. $5000 for a single red anodized aluminum headlight retainer washer.

      Yeah, I 'stole' the car, half built (motor was strong and new). The kid had lost his license, next pullover, the car was gone. The cops know the car, which is a little bit of a problem...but it's cooled down nicely by now.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    54. Re: No way by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      I've never had a problem with second hand phones. I buy mine from high street stores so they come with a warranty. Plus I've only ever bought phones with a removable battery so it wouldn't be too much hassle to replace it.

      I've not owned that many phones either, but I've had more new ones die on me than second hand ones.

    55. Re:No way by JohnFen · · Score: 1

      Special app? You mean iTunes?

      iTunes 100% counts as a "special app".

    56. Re: No way by h4ck7h3p14n37 · · Score: 1

      "Luxury" vehicles aren't really status symbols any more. They have become available to the masses which means they are no longer viewed as status symbols by the wealthy. You can buy a brand new Porsche for less than $50,000.

    57. Re: No way by ranton · · Score: 1

      I easily get $10,000 of utility out of my phone. If I had to pay $10K, I would.

      But luckily for me a $400 phone has 99% of the (theoretical) utility of a $10,000 phone. I don't get $9600 more utility out of a $10,000 phone than I do out of a $400 phone.

      The thing about the cost of utility is it's rarely linear in nature. Similar to a bell curve, you get significant utility for your money at the mid-range, and much less extra utility for your money at the high-end. An outback steakhouse steak is maybe 50% more than a Denny's steak, and significantly better. A Ruth Chris steak is triple the cost of an outback steak, for arguably an equal extra increase in quality. An argument could be made you can eat 3x as many Outback steaks and Ruth Chris steaks, but at a certain income level you are going to be paying a premium for any increase in utility.

      Once you can afford a monthly $1k grocery bill, $1k restaurant bill, $4k mortgage, $1k car loan, etc. you are not going to find many places to improve the utility of your life on the cheap. The upper middle class is growing rapidly and there are many more people with $250k+ household incomes you can afford the type of budget I list above. At this point a $1500 phone, which has become as core to peoples' lives as their house or car, isn't that unreasonable.

      But for people who would struggle to buy a $30k car, I would agree a $1k+ phone is not worth the extra utility.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
    58. Re:No way by JohnFen · · Score: 1

      $1200 is fine for people who make reasonable money and just don't care about an extra $400-$500 for something they use every single day.

      I make reasonable money and could afford $1200 without too much pain. But I do care about an extra $400-$500 if I'm not getting $400-$500 worth of value out of it, and it's really hard to imagine what could be added to a phone that would be worth that much.

    59. Re:No way by JohnFen · · Score: 1

      My $600 phone is three years old and looks on track to last at least another two.

    60. Re: No way by JohnFen · · Score: 2

      Why wouldn't I want it to be the absolute best it can be?

      Above a certain price point (which is far less than $1500), price does not correlate well with quality. You should get the best equipment you can, but you should not decide what it "the best" based on its price tag.

    61. Re: No way by HornWumpus · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You didn't go far enough. Get three rattle cans with different color primer and paint three body panels on your car. Preferably forward facing, make sure to pay attention to 'pre distressing' the front bumper cover.

      People in fancy cars will _get_out_of_your_way_, the fancier the car, the faster they move to get out of your way.

      If you do this, make absolutely sure you have insurance. The downside of having a car that looks uninsured: Cops are always running your plates for insurance...no problem though. I've been hooning in built beaters for decades without tickets (or accidents)...I can spot a cop at a half mile, by 3 inches of fender and bumper sticking past a wall. Plus CA, cops are way more relaxed, I adjust my driving when travelling, rental cars on suspended on mush anyhow.

      Obnoxious cars are also better for getting people to pay the fuck attention to you. I'd guess that much of the 'aggressive driving' you see is just people with 'heads up asses' that noticed the bigger obstacle. They also notice the awful beater 'city car', 'cause they're afraid.

      Of course none of this is 'a plan' if you're the kind of person who's gives one rip about how people you've never met before and will never meet again perceive your 'status'. Like the GP points out, apartment complex parking lots are full of brand new, high status cars. Chumps.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    62. Re:No way by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Second hand cars? Too new.

      Phones and computers are different. Second hand market there is a bad plan, but so is anything Apple.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    63. Re:No way by wierd_w · · Score: 2, Informative

      False comparison is false.

      It is possible to run an android device without google's application support framework (Gapps). One can use Amazon's store instead, for instance.

      That means you dont need a google account to use the phone. Likewise, you dont need to download proprietary and beligerant software to manipulate the files on the phone. One can use any computer that supports MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) to manipulate the files in the device. This includes Linux and MacOSX. One can also do this directly with the phone itself, if an appropriate file manager is installed. (Again, can be done using a 3rd party app store, or even side loaded directly, using the MTP protocol to transfer the installer package .apk to the handset's storage, and installed using ADB.)

      Compare to apple devices, which go out of their way to make any access to the device very restricted, self-manipulation of the device's filesystem by applications nearly impossible, and the use of a highly proprietary interface protocol (whatever the fuck iTunes uses).

      In order to get iTunes, you need to go through Apple. You NEED iTunes to push the ringtone to the phone. There *IS NO OTHER PATH* unless you jailbreak the device.

      Compare with android, where you can give google the finger, use entirely FOSS software to push the ringtone into the phone's memory, and even manipulate the phone's memory right on the phone on the go--

      FALSE COMPARISON IS FALSE, AC.

    64. Re:No way by toonces33 · · Score: 1

      I still have an S5. Why would I want an S8?

    65. Re: No way by Khashishi · · Score: 1

      Naw, grandparent is just a case of internet + anonymity.

    66. Re:No way by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      But the phone does only a tiny fraction of a what a computer does. Sure there are some addicts to smartphones, but they'll pay anything to get that next hit. The most a smartphone can do for me, other than being a phone, is let me see some email when I'm disconnected - but that's no big deal, life was bearable before then. Really, it does so very little that's useful that an old palm pilot didn't do.

      I honestly can't imagine someone using the phone more than the computer unless they're addicted to social media or something, and even then a computer is better since the pictures are bigger and easier to see. Even when I read email on the phone I often still go and re-read it on the computer later where I can download attachments, follow links, use VPN, etc. Maybe the phone is good for twitter or instagram, but I'm not 13 so I wouldn't know.

    67. Re: No way by Wintermute__ · · Score: 1

      My experience has been the exact opposite. The old beige econobox never gets noticed by police, the nicer car does. The sports car, even though not painted arrest-me red, really makes them perk up and take notice. It's like a Pavlovian response, I swear the look on one Sheriff's deputy's face as I drove past (not speeding) was like a kid at Thanksgiving dinner, it was hilarious.

    68. Re:No way by Pieroxy · · Score: 1

      So... You can get Uber on one of those phones? Or does Uber needs Gapps - just like most useful apps on Android?

      On Apple you do not have to have an Apple account either. You can Jailbreak.

      But everyone opens an account (either google or Apple depending) just because it allows you to really fully use your phone.

      The difference is hairsplitting here.

    69. Re:No way by UnknowingFool · · Score: 1

      play a gameboy game on your device

      So let's be clear on this: You're complaining that you can't run an emulator to play a Nintendo(TM) Gameboy ROM on iPhone but you can do that on Android. You are aware that unauthorized ROMs could violate copyright. There is no precedent for this but ROMs are in a legal gray area. Some would argue it's space-shifting which qualifies as Fair Use but downloading them from the Internet constitutes unauthorized distribution which is not covered by Fair Use. So the crux of your complaint is that Apple doesn't want to deal with legal gray areas.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    70. Re:No way by wierd_w · · Score: 1

      A fact you say? Really? Tell me more!

      https://www.symantec.com/conne...

    71. Re:No way by UnknowingFool · · Score: 1

      One relies heavily on proprietary software and formats and has an extremely high profit margin,

      Which proprietary formats do you object to using?

      the other uses industry standards and costs a lot less

      Defines: "Cost a lot less". Certainly if you get top of the line Android phones, they cost as much as an iPhone. There are Android phones which are cheaper. They are some which are not cheaper.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    72. Re:No way by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      But I wouldn't be surprised if the legions of apple fans would pay nearly any amount for one.

      Exactly, which is why I think Apple is charging far too little here. They could easily charge $3k, or even $5k for their phone, and Apple lovers will happily pay that. Apple might need to offer financing, but that shouldn't be any trouble for Apple. They could get tons of people to sign up for $500/month phone payments (in addition to the cellular plan), and be more profitable than ever.

    73. Re:No way by FictionPimp · · Score: 1

      I typically find that the drop in battery life and the bloat of firmware updates made it impossible to keep a nexus line phone over 3 years and still be as usable as it was day one. The iphone 7+ is my first iPhone sense the 3. Let's see how it holds out.

    74. Re:No way by Macdude · · Score: 1

      The hate because Apple is successful is palpable...

      To make a ringtone for an iPhone, save a 30 second or shorter audio file as an AAC file (industry standard file format) with a .m4r extension and sync it to your phone.

      --
      "Grab them by the pussy" -- President of the United States of America
    75. Re: No way by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      I bought an old, not crashed, mustang and built it to near racecar but streetable. Uncomfortable, like a Ferrari, but faster and much much cheaper.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    76. Re: No way by Lost+Race · · Score: 1

      Making effort to not be persuaded by status symbols is a laudable goal, but it shows lack of self-awareness if you believe you are above such things.

      You sound like the religious people who think I have to "make an effort to not be persuaded by" the bible or other such nonsense.

    77. Re:No way by rjstegbauer · · Score: 1

      My two favorite features of my phone (Nexus 5) are the GPS and flashlight!

    78. Re: No way by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Products are not always about utility. That is why some people have Luxury Car while others have the basic cars.

      Sure they are. The problem is utility is what people make of it. Luxury cars have more utility to those people who value and use the features that they offer.

      . Some people like sport cars that can go real fast even though most roads cannot handle them.

      And they are also capable of going really fast when on a race track, and they go really quickly up to speed on any road, oh wait there's one more thing... they are a status symbol which in itself is a form of utility provided by the car.

      You're confusing utility as something very specific such as getting from a to b or telling the time, whereas utility is actually any facet of use or benefit to the owner. My Breitling watch has utility in that it makes me happy in a way that no Casio could.

    79. Re: No way by eth1 · · Score: 1

      People in fancy cars will _get_out_of_your_way_, the fancier the car, the faster they move to get out of your way.

      The thing I miss the most after finally having to replace my old beater is that I used to easily win EVERY single game of "chicken" I got into while changing lanes, merging, etc. Being able to elicit the feeling of "he doesn't care if he hits me" is great... :D

    80. Re: No way by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Definitely faster than many/most Ferrari's. Which makes it faster than 'a Ferrari'. Exactly which depends on how you define 'fast'...topout, acceleration, corner speed, lap speed on a particular track. It's going to beat them in with raw HP, my motor is good for 20k between rebuilds (at best) though. Which is OK, complete rebuild kit is much less than the price of single Ferrari washer mentioned upthread.

      You realize a Pontiac GTO is faster than a Ferrari GTO? Not just down the 1/4 mile, but around Monza. It really pissed the Italians off when they ran the test. I'll grant they picked Monza for it's booming, topout straights, but still.

      Hotrod magazine has been mocking Ferrari for their slow as shit, overpriced, cars for _decades_. I'll grant that Ferrari has reformed itself somewhat, lately. They no longer ship cars with 'sewing machine motors', 17 second, 1/4 mile Ferraris are still common. There is a good reason Porsche people say 'Italian trash'.

      The fact is that Ferrari has long considered building street cars a necessary evil to fund its racing. They have no respect for their own customers (particularly the non-Italians), it's hard to have respect for such a bunch of pretentious, slow driving morons. It's not like they notice how slow the cars are.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    81. Re: No way by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      Ha! I remember my old Olds Delta 88. It looked ok, not beat up, but it was a real cruiser; obviously big, old, and did I mention big? And, yes, I too won every game of chicken--except for the battleships. The Mack truck always wins.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
    82. Re: No way by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      The quality of new knockoffs must really piss your off. That's gotta fuck with your game.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    83. Re:No way by kqs · · Score: 1

      Why not?

      Note, I think that $1200 is a ludicrous amount of money to spend on a phone, but really, so is $400 and I pay that and more regularly.

      A phone will not play games as well as your full-featured gaming computer, but it will be slightly more portable. It's a completely different device, and I know people who spend $600/year on their gaming rig (amortized) who use their gaming machines a lot less than they use their phone. So while $1200 for a two-year phone is crazy to me, it's not necessarily a bad idea.

    84. Re: No way by postbigbang · · Score: 1

      Status symbols appeal to vanity and the tribal instinct.

      I drive a 18 year old hybrid that gets 64mpg. Seats two. I watch another car pull up aside me at an intersection; a 2017 Maserati.

      I paid $4k used for my car, and maybe $800 in insurance.

      He leased it for $700/mo or bought it for $48K, and pays $2200/yr in in insurance.

      Yes, he may get a few sex partners out of the deal, or impress clients.

      And he, like the ostensible iPhone 8 customer above, is just piling $100 bills into a pile to be lit by the match of his ego.

      --
      ---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
    85. Re:No way by JohnFen · · Score: 1

      My battery did give up the ghost, but I replaced it. I use a Galaxy, so replacing the battery is a trivial and inexpensive operation.

    86. Re: No way by KGIII · · Score: 1

      Meh... For 10k and another 20k, you could have had a fair to middling 911.

      Chances are, with the price you paid, you don't even have an independent rear suspension. If you did, you'd just have a fairly modern Mustang and wouldn't have bothered to mention it. They're a dime a dozen.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    87. Re: No way by KGIII · · Score: 1

      Also, to bag on you a little bit, I just checked and I am willing to bet better performance from my daily driver. It's a couple of years old now, but I drive a nice 6-series. It's a nice sleeper. ;-)

      Also, I can corner and put all (just) 445 ponies on the pavement.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    88. Re: No way by KGIII · · Score: 1

      You need a plow truck. ;-)

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    89. Re: No way by lsatenstein · · Score: 1

      if 1200 bucks is gonna break you thats your own fault.

      Sure it is. Only the lazy and feckless don't have $1200 sitting around waiting for the right phone to come along. I bet if you check their physiognomy you'll find they have the low brow and cranial bumps of the genetically poor.

      I'm retired. I have an android, a North-America-wide calling plan, data and a few applications. As a retired person, I want any phone I have to be robust, moisture resistant (rain), and have a replacable battery.
      My phone has what I need. Front/back cameras, voice activation, and low cost insurance coverage. Its an American Motorola phone, and I quite like it.

      So, what's $1200 phone worth? I would say $200 in material, $100 in R&D and handling costs, and $900/phone in profits. What a great business -- selling to gullables.

      --
      Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
    90. Re:No way by callahan2211 · · Score: 1

      Most Apple fans are lemmings.

      --
      "There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and
    91. Re: No way by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      And like your cars, sitting at a bar with a $20k watch on your wrist does attract a lot of attention from women.

      Not woman I'd like to meet. Each to their own though.

    92. Re:No way by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      There's a variety of predefined ring tones. I haven't checked how to insert my own.

      The reason they all have the Marimba ring tone is, apparently, that nobody bothers to change it. Back before I realized that I didn't need a ring tone for a device that lived in my shirt pocket, I had several ring tones for different callers.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    93. Re:No way by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      I got my iPhone 5s pretty much when it came out, and it's till working pretty well. I'm wondering about replacing the battery, since it seems I get a little less life than I did three and a half years ago, but if I have it done by Apple (the expensive way) it's only $80. My first (original) iPhone died after about three years with touchscreen malfounction, and I replaced my second (after about three years) because I wanted the new functionality.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    94. Re: No way by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      My iPhone does pretty much what I want a phone to do. It doesn't act crippled. Obviously, you may want to do different things with your phone.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    95. Re: No way by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      It's not just a status symbol. If you prefer iOS, then an extra $300 for a device you'll get a lot of daily use out of for the next three years is not very expensive. Look, when I want to be cool I adjust the thermostat. My only claim to being a hipster is being a geek before it was popular. I long ago gave up status symbols, because I really can't do stylish. I like my iPhone.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    96. Re: No way by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Depends on how you live your life. If my life depended on impressing other people with my status, I'd (a) pay more for things people notice, and (b) flounder almost helplessly because I don't have the social skills to pull that crap off. I prefer hanging with people who value me for my personality and my software skills.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    97. Re:No way by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 1

      The discard perfectly good phones because they are not regarded as 'cool' any more.

      "discard" as in sell? I get a new phone every year. My true net cost has been about $1.20 a day. I can afford that, and I use my phone many times per day. That's not the place to save money, just like, for instance, sleeping on a cheap mattress is bad thinking. But my car is from 2005. I don't spend a lot of money there because I don't drive much. "Coolness" doesn't enter into it.

    98. Re:No way by RotateLeftByte · · Score: 1

      Who knows if the sell them or just chuck them in a drawer somewhere...
      IMHO, for most people you get to a certain age and being cool is just not on your radar any longer.
      I ran a 2003 car until 2015 when the turbo blew up doing 120mph on the Autobahn. Yes I was foolish but it didn't owe me anything.
      Now I drive a very uncool PHEV but it does what it says on the tin and works for me which is the important thing.
      My iPhone 6 was purchased second hand and I see no reason to change it this year. My phone plan is $15/month which suits my usage profile.

      Each to our own way of life. The more people who give 'coolness' the finger is not a bad thing in my eyes but hey, you should have seen me in '68, '69. I was where it was at and being cool. Come with getting old I think :)

      --
      I'd rather be riding my '63 Triumph T120.
    99. Re:No way by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 1

      hey, you should have seen me in '68, '69. I was where it was at and being cool.

      Oh I know what that was like. You were wearing bell bottoms and proclaiming "don't trust anyone over 30." Seems ridiculous now, doesn't it? As for coolness, I was just hitting puberty at the same time as young women decided going braless was a good idea. I thought that was cool :-)

  2. In my case I can confirm by Chrisq · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Betteridge's law of headlines is true!

    1. Re:In my case I can confirm by Memnos · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm waiting for the headline, "Is Betteridge's Law True?"

      --
      I don't trust atoms -- they make up stuff.
    2. Re:In my case I can confirm by Black.Shuck · · Score: 1

      I'm waiting for the headline, "Is Betteridge's Law True?"

      You'll wait as long as it takes to get an accurate, researched summary from Slashdot.

      Gruber did not "claim the iPhone 8 will start at $1,200".

    3. Re:In my case I can confirm by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      Oh my God, no! The internet would cease to exist!

    4. Re:In my case I can confirm by maestroX · · Score: 1

      Moore's law also applies, every two year the price doubles!

    5. Re:In my case I can confirm by SoftwareArtist · · Score: 1

      > I'm waiting for the headline, "Is Betteridge's Law True?"

      No. I mean yes. I mean... no, I mean...

      Don't do that!

      --
      "I'm too busy to research this and form an educated opinion, but I do have time to tell everyone my uninformed opinion."
    6. Re:In my case I can confirm by vandamme · · Score: 1

      Better: "Is Betteridge's Law False?"

  3. Problem is not phone cost by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Problem with apple products is not product cost itself.
    Problem is: Phone costs 800$, extra charger in apple store costs 150$.

    1. Re:Problem is not phone cost by RotateLeftByte · · Score: 2

      I know that apple stuff is expensive but $150?
      According to www.apple.com
      Apple 12W iPhone charger costs $19.95. Perhaps you were confusing it with a MacBook charger?

      --
      I'd rather be riding my '63 Triumph T120.
    2. Re:Problem is not phone cost by plover · · Score: 5, Funny

      The problem is not that I'd pay $1200 for an iPhone 8. The problem is my wife will.

      --
      John
    3. Re:Problem is not phone cost by evilRhino · · Score: 1

      Maybe it's time to upgrade to iWife 2.

    4. Re:Problem is not phone cost by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 3, Funny

      Maybe it's time to upgrade to iWife 2.

      With technology improving the way it is, you might soon be able to ditch the iWife and get an Android in your bed.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    5. Re:Problem is not phone cost by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Or you can get one in a gas station for $5. Apple seems to attract irrational hate. It's weird.

    6. Re:Problem is not phone cost by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      Yes, but those cheap ones, if not made to the correct specifications (and many are not) can fuck up your battery.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    7. Re:Problem is not phone cost by Kjella · · Score: 1

      With technology improving the way it is, you might soon be able to ditch the iWife and get an Android in your bed.

      Ewwww, now I got a mental picture of Lt. Commander Data in my bed. Which I suppose is good analogy for Android, technically fully functional yet not at all what I want. YMMV.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    8. Re:Problem is not phone cost by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      That seems unlikely. You might be able to specifically build a power supply that would damage a battery, but you'd probably have to go out of your way to do it. The actual charging hardware for an iPhone is inside the phone: the "charger" just supplies power, and isn't likely to be any worse at doing that than some random USB port.

    9. Re:Problem is not phone cost by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Sandbag a few raises and a bonus or two into a secret account for 'hookers and blow'. She can't spend what she doesn't know you have.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    10. Re:Problem is not phone cost by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      Ewwww, now I got a mental picture of Lt. Commander Data in my bed. Which I suppose is good analogy for Android, technically fully functional yet not at all what I want. YMMV.

      Could be worse. Could be one of the few poor sods with a Windows Wife.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    11. Re:Problem is not phone cost by Strudelkugel · · Score: 1

      Will it have a back button? In all seriousness, they need to add one. The tiny text on the top left of some apps does not count.

      --
      Imagine how much harder physics would be if electrons had feelings! -Feynman, maybe
    12. Re:Problem is not phone cost by zlives · · Score: 1

      the windows 10 wife is cannot be infected by malware. regardless of previous use you will be safe...

    13. Re:Problem is not phone cost by bingoUV · · Score: 1

      Apple owned gas station? Can you get the Apple "manufactured" , or even designed ones in a gas station for $5 ?

      1. If yes, I haven't heard about it. Some documentation, evidence, ways to find etc. would be nice.

      2. If no, I don't see why hatred becomes irrational due to existence of third party solutions having nothing much to do with Apple. This is a reason for a rational hatred of Apple, a rational love for gas stations, rational love for the manufacturers of said devices, rational love for China(leap of faith concerning country of origin).

      Its like "hating your wife because she hits you with a baseball bat is irrational, because there are women you can offer a drink to for $5 in a bar". Or have sex with for $50 in "XYZ" place.

      Or is your point that any love or hatred is fundamentally irrational? If so I would ask why are you dragging Apple into the discussion.

      --
      Bingo Dictionary - Pragmatist, n. A myopic idealist.
    14. Re:Problem is not phone cost by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Exhibit A.

  4. That reminds me. by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 5, Funny

    What it's like to own an Apple product - The Oatmeal

    Seems wiser to stick to a cellular phone which the foolish call "dumb". ;)

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:That reminds me. by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 4, Interesting

      My cellular phone has a charge that's measured in weeks, not hours. My cellular phone isn't a battery sucking brick that can't even have it's battery swapped. My cellular phone is for talking and on occasion texting. It was less than a hundred bucks and I spend very little on a monthly subscription. Your handheld computer (sold under the guise of being a telephone) may be "smart" but it makes fools of it's users.

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    2. Re:That reminds me. by Freischutz · · Score: 1

      What it's like to own an Apple product - The Oatmeal

      Seems wiser to stick to a cellular phone which the foolish call "dumb". ;)

      As a dispassionate outside observer I have to say that your comic is a truly fascinating visualisation of what goes on in the brains of angry Slashdot posting cellar dwelling Google fanboys when they obsess about the way they think Apple users live their lives, here is what happens when they wake up one morning and start obsessing about Microsoft for a change: http://www.penny-arcade.com/co...

    3. Re:That reminds me. by SciCom+Luke · · Score: 2

      Three weeks ago I got my first smartphone, because my girlfriend insists we use whatsapp. A four year old marvel of technology. I would rather go back to my old Sonim XP3.20 phone. Buttons are great.

    4. Re:That reminds me. by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Good for you, but I'll keep my smart phone thanks. The minor hassle of having to charge when I'm sleeping is more than outweighed by the camera alone. Call me sentimental but I like looking at photos of my girlfriend and I having fun, or being able to add an explanatory photo to a technical email with a couple of taps.

      Being able to chat to someone on the other side of the world, in a different time zone, when it suits both of us (not just when we are both in front of a PC), and all for free is pretty valuable to me too.

      Oh, and I can post my SJW spam to Slashdot from anywhere at any time, can't forget that.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    5. Re:That reminds me. by nine-times · · Score: 1

      Meh. I don't think that cartoon is particularly apt or relevant. Apple products continue to get full support for at least a few years (depending on the product line), which is better than some manufacturers. How many Android phones get their updates late, or don't get the latest version of Android at all?

      This cartoon seems to be implying the same old idea that, "Apple users are dumb and fall for marketing/branding. They think that the brand of electronics you own defines you as a person." The irony is, that's an idea spread by their competitors' marketing, and in saying it, it shows that *you* think that the brand of electronics you own defines you as a person.

      And as for dumb phones, they're fine if that's what you want and need. Having access to email, a browser, mapping, etc. on your phone is all enormously useful and practical, though. I'm not necessarily a fan of how people use the technology, but I think it's downright silly to suggest that smart phones aren't sensible.

    6. Re:That reminds me. by KozmoStevnNaut · · Score: 1

      FM radio? Seriously?

      And my phone has a 3.5mm plug, just like yours. So what's your point?

      --
      Eat the rich.
    7. Re:That reminds me. by JohnFen · · Score: 1

      I agree about the buttons. I really, really miss having physical buttons.

    8. Re:That reminds me. by chispito · · Score: 1

      My cellular phone has a charge that's measured in weeks, not hours. My cellular phone isn't a battery sucking brick that can't even have it's battery swapped. My cellular phone is for talking and on occasion texting. It was less than a hundred bucks and I spend very little on a monthly subscription. Your handheld computer (sold under the guise of being a telephone) may be "smart" but it makes fools of it's users.

      My smartphone was $70 on Amazon, and the cheapest prepaid plans on Verizon include data now. If I only talked and texted the battery would probably last me 2-4 days, maybe longer. I think people spend way too much money on their phones, way too often (upgrading every year or two to top of the line models). I think you're right that a lot of people are changed for the worse by their devices.
      But it is not really any cheaper now to buy and use a dumb phone than a smart phone, because the market changed.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    9. Re:That reminds me. by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      My cellular phone has a charge that's measured in weeks, not hours.

      So does any modern Android smartphone if you enable ultra low power mode. Oh but you don't "want" to do that do you.

      Frankly my smart phone has all the features and benefits of my 90s era brick with a lot of additional benefits as well and without any downsides that are sorely the product of your own ignorance.

    10. Re:That reminds me. by info6568 · · Score: 1

      I made a mental effort to acquire a Samsung J7-2016 model. For around $300. Yes, the last one to have a replaceable battery.

      This has enough power for doing everything the society is forcing me to reluctantly do ... you know, WhatsApp, Facebook. A nice thing about the phone that I really use very much (and my wife with the kids) is the camera. Sometimes it permits me to read the news or to see a movie in a nice enough screen. And I have a Chromebook Plus costing a little more than $400 with a gorgeous screen and 8+ hours of battery usage that I connect to a Raspberry Pi Zero and I can make marvels with both machines and mi Mac Mini 2012 model at home (this is a i7 four core $800 machine with $100 16GB memory upgrade ... a very nice machine).

      $1200 for a phone? ... $1200 ... ?????

      I really think that what we see in the Oatmeal would be true. This is like a disease. I work with computers and I had had many of them during my life, but this need to have so expensive and comparatively useless thing at hand just because of having it, deserves to receive a particular name. Is this the Apple Syndrome or something like that?

      Good luck to the future glamorous owners of the inimaginable power and convenience they never will know how to use appropriately, just because it is Apple and, maybe, because will be pretty. ... and what will be done for iPhone 9?

  5. Easy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I wouldn't buy it at $200, why would I buy it at $1,200?

    1. Re:Easy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If you buy it at $200, it's a cheap phone. If you buy it at $1200, it proves you're so rich you can afford to fritter away $1200 on stupidly overpriced cheap phones and encourages attractive women (or men) to perform various pleasurable activities on you.

      Until they find out you're not actually rich and bugger off somewhere else.

    2. Re:Easy by oji-sama · · Score: 1

      This may sound like the usual iHate, but having a single iPhone in an otherwise non-Apple household is a chore. Just having it sync media with the various other devices requires many extra steps not to mention installing iTunes, etc.

      Yeah, there's now an iPhone in our house. So long sharing images via NFC or bluetooth to SO. A minor dissappointment. Nothing that can't be worked around, but since the capability exists on the phone, the walled garden is somewhat tangible.

      --
      It is what it is.
    3. Re:Easy by bettodavis · · Score: 1

      For the excitement of belonging to the elite, of course, along with the millions of elite people that will get indebted for belonging to the club.

      Such privilege deserves to make a queue days in advance, waiting for the phone that makes you special and unique.

      Sigh. After so many years of the same show, it stopped being funny.

  6. Sure! by nospam007 · · Score: 2

    "Would You Buy the iPhone 8 If It Cost $1,200? "
    Sure!
    I bought a PC when it cost 10.000$, when it cost 5000$ when it cost 2000$ ...and they were much less powerful then.

  7. You lost me at iPhone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, I would not buy the iPhone.

  8. never by gravewax · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not a hope in hell. being locked down in their ecosystem negates the value of any significant premium hardware increases. besides which unless they have worked out something amazing in battery, holographics or such I personally can't think of much that could even be all that interesting hardware wise, gimmicky 3D or VR maybe but that would be a death sentence just like it was for 3D TV's and looking that way for VR headsets too . I don't need smaller or lighter, CPU, memory, storage, graphics are all more than adequate in most top end phones, really getting like PC's a little now where you can work quite happily on older hardware as long as it is still supported with updates.

    1. Re:never by gravewax · · Score: 2

      I don't underestimate the premium people will pay for stupid stuff at all, many fanboys would pay twice the cost for a slightly lower spec if it came with sparkly colours. I am very much aware of it, The question the poster asked was not do I think their are people that would part with their money for it, it is would I purchase it. No matter how ridiculous a price their will always be someone that will justify it to themselves or for whom money is immaterial.

    2. Re:never by jez9999 · · Score: 1

      In other words it's a Veblen good.

  9. Price is only one dimension by mseeger · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If I buy something does not solely depend on the price. It also depends on the value I get from the item.

    So when asking the question, you should ask "Are those features worth X".

    I haven't seen the final list for the next iPhone yet. So I cannot say yet if it will be worth Y dollars.

    In the past, the iPhones I bought were worth every penny I paid. But be aware: the value may depend on your needs. So what may be true for me, must not be true for everyone else.

    1. Re:Price is only one dimension by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1, Troll

      Very true. Even though it cost Apple only around $200 to make my iPhone, I never felt like I overpaid to it when I use it, or when I compare it to other more affordable phones out there (I own a few Androids for development work). The problem is that in practice we tend to replace our phones fairly often. I can justify spending $600 every 2 years or so (the old phone will still be worth a couple 100), but $1200? That pro model would have to be waaaay better than their regular phones; just having a faster processor or a somewhat better screen won't be worth it. And I am afraid that Apple knows this. So they might be tempted to add whatever cool new feature they come up with to their flagship pro model first in order to entice us to buy that one, even if they could easily add those features to the regular models as well. It's not a matter of "what Apple could do in a phone with a higher price", it's not about cost or engineering, but about marketing. And when marketing is applied ruthlessly, we all know who loses...

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    2. Re:Price is only one dimension by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 1

      Yeah, maybe $1,200 if it has a headphone jack or something...

      Seriously though, I have trouble thinking of how they could provide a reasonable value proposition at $1,200. 256G of Ram is wasted on me for a phone, a rear screen gimmick is marginal value, and I don't want a bigger screen.

      Ok, built in 3D scanner, megapixel thermal imager, f1.8/35mm equivalent performance on the camera, and an anemometer and I will get out my Blackcard (that I don't have).

    3. Re:Price is only one dimension by Pieroxy · · Score: 1

      Even though it cost Apple only around $200 to make my iPhone

      It didn't cost Apple $200 to make your phone. It does cost them $200 a pop to mass produce them, which is quite different.

  10. Not servicable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The iPhone is not made to last, the battery cannot be replaced, it cannot be opened by a normal person and be repaired or upgraded. Apps are not better, they are made to run swiftly on older versions. You are just buying a phone with next year's specs, and after that it's just like any old phone, which will scratch, which battery will fail, which will become slower and slower. So: No.

    1. Re:Not servicable by gnasher719 · · Score: 2, Informative

      The iPhone is not made to last, the battery cannot be replaced, it cannot be opened by a normal person and be repaired or upgraded.

      The battery cannot be replaced? I don't know about the iPhone 8, because nobody has ever seen it, but battery replacement like screen replacement are on Apple's official price list. If they are on the price list, I'd assume the battery can be replaced.

      And Apple has this thing called "out of warranty repair": If you have an older iPhone, let's say an iPhone 6 with broken screen and broken battery and whatever else is wrong, Apple will replace it with an equivalent refurbished phone for about half the cost of the base model. My wife's first iPhone was an iPhone 4s with a broken screen that she was given for free, and replaced with a new one at the Apple Store for £140.

    2. Re:Not servicable by SciCom+Luke · · Score: 1

      If I would spend 1200 $ on a mobile telephone, it should last at least a month on a full battery, and last at least a decade in total and almost-everything-proof. Zero boxes checked. Next.

    3. Re:Not servicable by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      Not made to last..... Wife's iphone 4 STILL WORKS just fine 7 years later.

      My HTC ONE M8.... replaced TWICE and then finally died because the battery swelled and cracked the display.
      My One X did not last more than 12 months before it started having problems. I have been through 6 android phones in those same 7 years.

      I think you dont have a clue at all about iphones and longevity.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    4. Re:Not servicable by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      He said "normal people." Apparently that means people who can't work a screwdriver and follow a step by step tutorial on iFixit.

      I've replaced several iPhone batteries, and screens. Battery takes ten minutes or so. Screen is usually slightly more fussy, maybe 15 min. I'm sure a repair guy who did more than one every year or so could do it much faster.

    5. Re:Not servicable by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      I have replaced the battery on my iPhone. Pretty easy to do. The only mistake I made was that I got the battery on e-bay (doh!) and apparently it was not the genuine article. It quickly drained after only a couple of months and then the battery swelled and cracked my screen. A lesson well learned. Ended up being a costly battery replacement! One I could not really afford. All fixed up now and my iPhone 5 is still running fine after 4 years. I still think it was worth the $500 or so I paid for it even with the additional repair charges (admittedly my own fault).

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    6. Re:Not servicable by Pieroxy · · Score: 1

      The iPhone is not made to last

      I beg to differ. My iPhones lasted me longer than my Android ones. Granted, they are more expensive so it evens out.

      , the battery cannot be replaced,

      Yes they can. Either by you (If you're skilled with tiny screwdrivers) or by Apple (if you don't feel like it)

      it cannot be opened by a normal person and be repaired or upgraded.

      Neither can an Android or only moderately so. I repaired iPhones and Androids and apart from the battery which is more serviceable on most Android phones, it's on the same level.

      Apps are not better, they are made to run swiftly on older versions.

      Apps used to be widely better on iOS. Now only moderately so. But the Phone will receive OS updates for WAY longer then Android phones and Apps support will be overly superior on iOS.

      You are just buying a phone with next year's specs,

      Yes.

      and after that it's just like any old phone, which will scratch, which battery will fail

      Well, just like an Android phone now no?

      , which will become slower and slower.

      It has stopped being true since iOS 9. Actually, iOS9 made my phone faster and then iOS10 made it faster as well. Memory usage is another thing but overall this is not true anymore.

      So: No.

      Your choice, but obviously based on wrong data.

    7. Re:Not servicable by Alioth · · Score: 1

      Not made to last? My Dad has my old iPhone 4 which is now 7 years old. The battery is replaceable (and the first battery lasted 6 years). The phone still pretty much looks as good as it did when it came out of the box 7 years ago.

    8. Re:Not servicable by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      I've never had any luck with eBay batteries, unfortunately. Not for phones, notebooks, or cameras.

  11. Minima - maxima. by NormanHaga2580 · · Score: 1

    Under calculus you can make the maximum profit selling many for a small price or a few for a large price.

    However, if you are seeking market space penetration, you need to sell many. For $1200 I can buy many Android phones.

    1. Re:Minima - maxima. by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      However, if you are seeking market space penetration, you need to sell many. For $1200 I can buy many Android phones.

      The $1200 comes from an article by Gruber, who thinks (quite rightly) that Apple will continue selling the iPhone 7 which is not exactly cheap, and that the iPhone 8 would be some kind of super luxury edition. The super luxury edition wouldn't have market penetration.

      It's like asking Mercedes drivers who paid $50,000 or $100,000 for their Mercedes if they are going to pay $200,000 for a Maybach.

  12. You can barely convince me of the current price. by mightybutton · · Score: 1

    Nope!

  13. Re:Depends on the features by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    You mean like a headphone jack?

  14. Laptop phone by lucaiaco · · Score: 1

    I honestly would if it could replace my laptop. Mobile Phones nowadays are perfectly able to do so, the only thing they lack is a screen and a battery. I am looking forward to a laptop that can detach and become a phone. We already have tablet/laptop hybrids, phone/laptop hybrids are just the next step.

    ----

    If you were thinking of using Slashdot deals, don't.

    1. Re:Laptop phone by sg_oneill · · Score: 1

      I honestly would if it could replace my laptop. Mobile Phones nowadays are perfectly able to do so, the only thing they lack is a screen and a battery. I am looking forward to a laptop that can detach and become a phone. We already have tablet/laptop hybrids, phone/laptop hybrids are just the next step.

      An iPhone that ran OSX , not IOS, OSX, and could dock into a monitor and screen would be spectacular and it baffles me it hasn't been done yet (I know the ubuntu phone tried, but that never really took off for some reason, and I'll pass on android)

      --
      Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
    2. Re:Laptop phone by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 2

      I wish Apple would add a mouse pointer to iOS (plus a trackpad to the keyboard covers, and a docking station w/ a couple of regular old USB ports of course, not a single Unobtainium connector). If you want to use your phone or tablet as a full blown workstation, this is an essential feature. I'm at work now messing with a Surface Pro, and it copes quite well with the touchscreen and mouse combination. Maybe Apple can do what MS did and just run OSX on their high end phones, and change the OS so it runs apps as well.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    3. Re:Laptop phone by Tomahawk · · Score: 1

      You mean like this?

  15. I got this far without owning one by DrXym · · Score: 1

    If you step into a prison cell, no matter how ornate and attractive it might look, don't be surprised when the door slams shut behind you.

    1. Re:I got this far without owning one by Tranzistors · · Score: 1

      Was that a description of Apple walled garden or spiralling debt?

    2. Re:I got this far without owning one by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      It's a package deal.

    3. Re:I got this far without owning one by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      If your heart is convinced you are imprisoned, no amount of freedom will help you.

      I assure you that being an iPhone owner has not impaired my ability to use my Android Tablet, Nook Simple Touch, Windows laptop, Ubuntu desktop, or Nintendo 3DS. If I can do as I please, am I not free?

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  16. What Apple can do by bluegutang · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I'd like to see what Apple can do in a phone with a higher price."

    Remove even more ports?

    1. Re:What Apple can do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      A zero-port phone would be great. You could pretty much make it waterproof to as deep as the pressure that glass can handle.

    2. Re:What Apple can do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Sure, but reception is awful under water.

    3. Re:What Apple can do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It'll be fine once you turn sea-life into a giant mesh network.

    4. Re:What Apple can do by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 2

      "I'd like to see what Apple can do in a phone with a higher price."

      Remove even more ports?

      Adding more propriety bullshit?

      --

      Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

    5. Re:What Apple can do by MiniMike · · Score: 1

      It's actually easy to see what Apple can do in a phone for $1200- just look at what Samsung/HTC/LG/etc. can do in a phone for $600.

    6. Re:What Apple can do by Pieroxy · · Score: 1

      It's actually easy to see what Apple can do in a phone for $1200- just look at what Samsung/HTC/LG/etc. can do in a phone for $600.

      Ever tried to pay something with Samsung Pay ?

    7. Re:What Apple can do by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Fill the phone with non conductive liquid. You can buy it, coolant for high power electronics.

      If you had no voids in batteries etc, you could go really deep with it. But what's the point? You can't go really deep.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    8. Re:What Apple can do by 14erCleaner · · Score: 1

      And if you remove the display, it can go even deeper!

      --
      Have you read my blog lately?
    9. Re:What Apple can do by jez9999 · · Score: 1

      With wireless charging, I wouldn't be surprised to see them release a 0 port phone.

    10. Re:What Apple can do by callahan2211 · · Score: 1

      https://youtu.be/plx69SIvgWI Thinner, no ports

      --
      "There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and
  17. Wait, what? by Ecuador · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is the summary correct, is he claiming that you can do "more" if you don't mass produce something??? If Apple wanted to add some more exotic technology, they could simply lower their industry leading profit margin and instead of selling a $220 device for $650 they could sell a $400-$500 device for $800 or something like that.
    To answer the question, I only have an iPhone (6 Plus) because my work provides it for development and although I am free to use it as a personal phone, I prefer a $200 Xiaomi Mi5 as it can do so much more. And Android is by far not my ideal mobile OS either (I still miss my Maemo/Meego N9 - damn you Stephen Elop for burying it), but I still find an Android phone more useful than an iOS one, even if I get the latter for free. So, no, $1200 would make it even more unlikely for me to get an iPhone. Which is a shame, as the apps that exist for both iOS and Android are most of the time better on iOS (for rather obvious - to devs at least - reasons), but there are many things you simply cannot do.

    --
    Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    1. Re:Wait, what? by radarskiy · · Score: 1

      "If Apple wanted to add some more exotic technology, they could simply lower their industry leading profit margin"

      A part that goes into a regular iPhone needs to be sourced at around a million units per day at release. There may be no amount of money that could get a part up to those volumes. If they are supply constrained the high price will bring down the demand to a matching level.

    2. Re:Wait, what? by iampiti · · Score: 1

      Yeah, sadly current smartphones have pretty limited OS. As you say, Android is better than iOS but still isn't a "full" desktop-class OS.
      There's no technical reason why a phone couldn't run a regular Linux just with an UI adapted for touch. When you docked it you could use the traditional keyboard and mouse UI. I think that was the idea of the Ubuntu phone but they arrived late in the smartphone market (Windows Phone did too) and didn't have a strong corporate backing so they couldn't succeed.

    3. Re:Wait, what? by Ecuador · · Score: 1

      As I said, I was fortunate enough to own a Maemo/Meego N9. It was a full linux machine (I could compile and run any standard package that I'd have on a linux server - even graphical apps but they were not easy to use unless you vnc-ed to the phone, which was of course possible), with an amazing QT-based UI (called "swipe" IIRC) - amazing in that it was as fluid as iOS (well, there were native apps), while having much superior multi-tasking / parallel running and app-switching capabilities, e.g. the apps did not have to pause to go in the background, you could have several of them running at the same time in smaller windows (including video playback, games etc) and easily switch from one to the other. Technically, iOS could be as good as that, it is at heart a bsd-derived OS, but I guess the money is not in tech geeks who'd prefer that to the "dumber" experience it currently provides. And we are stuck with Android, with all its faults (I briefly looked at Tizen, oh, lord, that is much worse).

      --
      Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    4. Re:Wait, what? by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      Correction:

      "it is at heart a NextSTEP derived OS, and NextSTEP is a kludge from the days of proprietary Unix back in the mid 90's."

      Some 'FreeBSD' userland was grafted on because at the time NextSTEP was stinking sort of like ten year old milk. And now that grafted on FreeBSD is ten years old, too.

    5. Re:Wait, what? by Black.Shuck · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Is the summary correct...???

      No, it's not.

      Gruber is suggesting a Pro version might be able to help Apple spread its operations and logistics issues when it comes to sourcing components for the latest iPhone.

      Apple's problem is not as simple as putting better stuff into the hardware. It's doing that 1 million times a day, every day, for every new version of iPhone that hits the shelves. He suggests a Pro version of the device at a high price-point would give them some breathing space when doing that.

      Just imagine the logistics of just boxing and shipping 1 million of *anything* every day, let alone sourcing, assembling and testing something as complex and impressively well built (for this scale of engineering) as an iPhone.

    6. Re:Wait, what? by roman_mir · · Score: 1

      I don't use apple products and would not even if I got them as gifts. I know of what I speak, I asked people explicitly never to gift me iphones or apple computers, they were kind enough to ask me first.... That said - a yacht is expensive because of all the materials and manual labour that goes into its production.

      If a feature of a phone could only be done manually then I can see how that would add to the price tag. Let's say you wanted a blood boy to be part of the device. If he came as part of the package from Bangladesh for example I would only expect the feature to be available to those with deep enough pockets to cover the price of two or three regular I phones....

    7. Re:Wait, what? by iampiti · · Score: 1

      I had read good things about the N9 but I wasn't sure if it was a full Linux OS. Thanks.
      That's what we should have. A pity that Microsoft essentialy forced Nokia to abandon everything but Windows Phone.
      The problem is that providing a full computer seems not to be in the best interests of the mobile OS makers. Apple would rather control what you install and get their cut of every app sale, Google would rather push all their services in your face and mine all your data. And 99% of the users don't care about the limitations. For many people a smartphone is something fundamentally different from a "regular" computer so for them is not strange that they can't do the same things.

    8. Re:Wait, what? by guruevi · · Score: 1

      I have the N800 predecessor, Nokia simply mothballed any support when the N900 came out and derivatives of Maemo still don't have support for it. Maemo was a somewhat-good attempt, I'm not sure if Sailfish improved much but I think development after Maemo has pretty much stood still.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    9. Re:Wait, what? by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 1

      > I still can't get the darn thing to type right, the autocomplete is horrendous

      I had a ZTE android phone with a terrible keyboard. That's when I figured out that OEMs change the keyboard and some of them are real shite. The Samsung one is a lot better. The nice thing about android is you can switch it out if you don't like it. I use Gboard (free/google) or Swiftkey (free or $0.99) everywhere now.

      >> I compile my own versions of Android without Google CrapStore.
      Have you tried doing this with IOS? Do they support embedded development on their kit at all?

    10. Re:Wait, what? by iampiti · · Score: 1

      I was referring to the fact that it lets you do more thing than iOS (install software from outside the official app store, access the filesystem at the file level, etc).

    11. Re:Wait, what? by guruevi · · Score: 1

      I have a Samsung tablet, the autocomplete is what's broken and correcting mistakes doesn't work because when you backspace something, it thinks you're starting a new word from that position.

      Yes, iOS supports embedded development, it's been several years now that you can simply develop whatever you want, as long as you're not selling on the public App Store. The true problem with iOS (and somewhat Android) is the lack of an OSS repository for apps/code that would be useful.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    12. Re:Wait, what? by guruevi · · Score: 1

      iOS lets you do that as well, as long as you don't sell the app that breaks security and user experience on the "official" App Store.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    13. Re:Wait, what? by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 1

      >> autocomplete is what's broken and correcting mistakes doesn't work because when you backspace something, it thinks you're starting a new word from that position.

      Yes, Swype fixes this for me. Try the free trial, you'll thank me later. :D

    14. Re:Wait, what? by morkk · · Score: 1

      (I still miss my Maemo/Meego N9 - damn you Stephen Elop for burying it)
      fuckin' A - best phone evah - still in use 6 years later

  18. Not even for USD 1.20 by aglider · · Score: 1

    That's it!

    --
    Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
  19. Re:Fantastic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Every 2-3 years there are compelling reasons to change..

    Like what ?
    I'm genuinely curious, what exactly can't I do with my Galaxy S3 ?

    Send and receive calls ? Check
    Send text messages ? Check
    Browse the internet ? Check
    Have an ftp server ? Check
    Take 8 MP photos ? Check
    Take Videos ? Check
    Removable storage ? Check
    Edit Microsft documents ? Check
    Encryption ? Check
    VPN support ? Check
    etc...

    Ok, my S3 is plastic but what the hell. Can't have it all I suppose.

  20. No. by edx93 · · Score: 1

    Next question.

  21. Nope by jandersen · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wouldn't buy it for any price, really. It isn't the functionality or the hardware, but the fact that you are tied into only ever using Apple's app store etc etc - plus the fact that you have to actually BUY the development tools and learn yet another languages, when the Android comes without the same degree of tie-in, plus you can download the whole development kit for free and it is Java, a language that actually has applications outside the phone. In a way, it isn't the iPhone that I don't want, it is Apple.

    1. Re:Nope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't buy it for any price, really. It isn't the functionality or the hardware, but the fact that you are tied into only ever using Apple's app store etc etc - plus the fact that you have to actually BUY the development tools and learn yet another languages, when the Android comes without the same degree of tie-in, plus you can download the whole development kit for free and it is Java, a language that actually has applications outside the phone. In a way, it isn't the iPhone that I don't want, it is Apple.

      I wouldn't buy an Android for any price. It isn't the functionality or the hardware but the fact that you are tied into only ever using the Google's Play store etc etc - plus the fact that you have to actually BUY the development tools and learn yet another languages, when the iPhone comes without the same degree of tie-in, plus you can download the whole development kit for free and it is (name a language), a language that actually has applications outside the phone. In a way, it isn't the Android that I don't want, it's Google.

      See how easy that was to make crazy claims?

      Yes, you can use "other" stores on Android, but practically speaking there is only the Google Play store. Everything else is far too suspicious. Want to side-load your own apps? No problem, Apple lets you do that. You just have to know what you are doing.

      iOS apps can be written in a variety of languages, not just Objective C (which is thoroughly worth learning, if only to experience something which is outside of your existing worldview).

      The development tools are 100% free, but you do have to pay $100 (gasp!) if you want to get your app onto the official store. I've written toy iOS apps and never paid a penny.

      It sounds like what you are really trying to say is "I only know Java and don't want to learn anything new." Everything else in your post is either completely wrong, or merely practically wrong.

    2. Re:Nope by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      What's this about buying development tools? You can go out right now and download what you need from the Apple site, free. You can develop in several different languages, and Visual Studio does support iPhone development if you're on Windows.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  22. Hell no by klaasb · · Score: 1

    I will spend another year with my iphone 6

    --
    if your pants fit well, it's not only because of the pants ...
  23. Stupid question by thegarbz · · Score: 2

    Personally I wouldn't buy an iPhone for 1/3rd of that price. A better question is: If you bought an iPhone at $600 would you buy one for $1200.

    1. Re:Stupid question by mjwx · · Score: 1

      Personally I wouldn't buy an iPhone for 1/3rd of that price. A better question is: If you bought an iPhone at $600 would you buy one for $1200.

      You and I wouldn't, but we're not the target audience.

      Apple are rapidly running out of new suckers, so they're having to wring more out of their old suckers. When the Iphone4 was released, 4 out of every 5 purchases was an existing Iphone user, they've been keeping growth figures up by expanding into new markets. China and India were the last big markets and developing nations aren't going to bring in the numbers so I'm willing to bet repeat purchases are more along the lines of 19 out of every 20 now.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  24. At that price, durability is also a concern by Picodon · · Score: 1

    On top of features, I would add: how long can the user reasonably expect to keep their device, which depends on several factors. Is the user likely to switch service provider (because they move, get better coverage, get a better deal, etc.) and would the device support the new set of radio frequencies? How durable is the device and can it be repaired (broken screen, etc.)? Given the user’s circumstances, how high are the risks that they could break or lose the device, and how well could they stomach a possible loss? Etc.

  25. If it gives me superpowers ... by Qbertino · · Score: 2

    ... like making me fly, giving me the body of a well-trained Ryan Gosling and making all good looking girls wanting to have sex with me I would consider buying it for that price.

    Other than that: No.

    Just got a Moto G5 Plus. Still a compromise. I wanted a 6"+ phablet with massive battery live, rugged case, stock android and uncastrated memory. Huawei Mate 9 and Xiaomi Mi Max came resonably close to those specs but I steered clear for various resons. The Moto G5 Plus but it's the best compromise. 32GB storage, 3GB RAM, good camera, near stock android. Common and as such cases and protective glas easyly available. 280 Euros. Close to the maximum I'm willing to spend on a smartphone. I would've stuck with my Moto G2, but it only has 8GB memory - which is a drag.

    Given that, at the current rate, I replace my phone roughly every 3 years spending 1200€ would be a waste of money.

    My 2 eurocents.

    --
    We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
    1. Re:If it gives me superpowers ... by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 2

      ...and making all good looking girls wanting to have sex with me I would consider buying it for that price.

      All you need to do is buy the $1200 iPhone 8 & then add the $1000 I am Rich app.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  26. Tim, allow me to phrase it in a way you understand by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Funny

    I would not like it here or there.
    I would not like it anywhere.
    I do not like the iPhone look
    I do not like it, Timmy Cook.

    (and yes, that third line works better with Macbook, but sadly they didn't bring out a new model in the past decade and I grew tired waiting for it)

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  27. Nonsense questions by gnasher719 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Nobody has seen an iPhone 8. Nobody knows what it does. Therefore nobody knows what it would be worth.

    Asking me if I would pay $1,200 for a phone, when I have never seen it, when I have never used it, when nobody can tell me what it does? That's a nonsense question.

  28. No. by Narcocide · · Score: 1

    I might consider one for $100 though.

  29. Re:no. But... by Tranzistors · · Score: 1

    I can get pretty much any phone for a dollar if I get a new mobile contract.

    How does contract costs change if you get it without phone? Isn't it just a hidden leasing?

  30. Re:Fantastic by dosius · · Score: 1

    A variation of the old Door in the Face strategy.

    --
    What you hear in the ear, preach from the rooftop Matthew 10.27b
  31. No, and not sure I would for Android either... by Tomahawk · · Score: 2

    Even if apple were to give me the next iPhone for free, or pay me $1,200 to take it, I wouldn't. I never really liked the iPhone. I never really liked apple products. Well, mainly apple OSs - their choice of hardware is normally pretty good, even if it if overpriced.

    That said, I'd have to seriously consider paying out that amount of money for an Android phone. In the past I've paid around $800, and that was also a fairly serious consideration. Having paid out that amount, I expect the phone to last me many years before I need to upgrade. The hardware is still good and I've no issues there -- however, if I want Android O then I'll need a new phone. If I had to pay $1,200 or more, I would expect it to last several more years, and for the OS to be upgraded for many more years. And that's probably not likely for either OS.

    apple do have a better track record for updating old devices, so apple people may be more likely to pay out that amount. Plus, historically, apple people have been more inclined to pay bigger bucks for the devices -- even to the point of selling a kidney to get one. So I'd almost wager that they could set any price on it and the majority would pay it to upgrade -- even if this year's model was only a minor improvement over last year's. The iPhone could end up being a textbook case of a Giffen good (where demand rises with price).

    I'm reminded of a story, but I can't find it online, where a shop owner asked the assistant to mark down several ugly statues from $15 to $10 in order to sell them out. The assistant made a mistake and priced them all at $100, and they all sold out that day. Many people will associate higher prices with a better product, and will see identical products differently depending on the price.

    1. Re:No, and not sure I would for Android either... by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      Even if apple were to give me the next iPhone for free, or pay me $1,200 to take it, I wouldn't.

      I would take ten thousand, start a business selling them for $800, and become a multi millionaire. You don't seem to be very smart.

    2. Re:No, and not sure I would for Android either... by rklrkl · · Score: 1

      Popular Android phones/tablets usually have custom ROMs available for them - wait for your warranty to run out (or official updates to stop) if you're concerned about that, then root/install recovery/install ROM and you're good to go with usually the latest Android release. I've got an ageing Nexus 10 tablet from 2012 that's running Android 7.1.2 from 2017 (via LineageOS 14), so you can breathe life into old phones/tablets with Android, unlike with iOS.

  32. What's a good alternative phone? by ShamblerBishop · · Score: 1

    One for people who aren't handy with tech (i.e. 'just works' through lifetime, no maintenance software or otherwise), durable to being dropped hard, which isn't too noticeably inferior to latest iPhone's? (I guess mainly memory wise, for the apps...)

    1. Re:What's a good alternative phone? by narcc · · Score: 1

      A shame they couldn't (or wouldn't) get the UI to work like BB10. Using android and iOS feels like stepping back in time. Former WebOS users understand what I mean...

      Google, if you're listening, steal the good parts from those and make them your own. We'll even pretend they're new and innovative. If you do this, I'll turn off my ad blocker. Amen.

  33. Sure I could find the money by Kjella · · Score: 1

    Seriously, if you're on this site you should be nerdy enough to be a well paid IT professional that could easily afford it, no need to go dumpster diving for phones. If you're not, maybe you should be soul searching a bit about why. Personally I never felt the need to get hacking on/from my phone, that's what my computer is for but if you want to go all CyanogenMod that's okay. But I got an iPhone SE and feel it was totally worth the money. That said, for $1200 it would have to do something new and amazing. But then again that's the premise, would you buy a $1200 phone if it did something revolutionary new and amazing. I'm surprised at the level of ludditism here where you don't know what it is, but you're damn sure you don't want it.

    Same thing when RED announced their phone, it sounded like a producer of high end movie cameras with quite possibly the best sensor technology in the world was pulling a Kickstarter scam or something. Is it expensive? Is it possibly a ridiculously stupid business idea? Yes, but three cheers for the guy who wants to build a billion dollar rocket to fly to Mars because that's cool. No way the next great thing could be in your pocket. My biggest doubt though is that the phone is something I carry almost 24x7x365, it goes everywhere and it's not always treated nice. It gets battered and bruised so much it'll probably have to be replaced every so often no matter what so that $1200 dollars would have to get written off pretty quick. That's a tough sell, but I'm willing to hear the sales pitch. Taken with copious amounts of salt.

    --
    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    1. Re: Sure I could find the money by that+this+is+not+und · · Score: 2

      Do a little fucking soul searching about not spending $xxxx on a phone?

      You're scary, man. If I had that spare cash I could get one hell of a nice used oscilloscope.

      This is still Slashdot, I think. All you people who "went into IT because it pays good" better watch out, because you're on the list for replacement.

    2. Re: Sure I could find the money by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      Do a little fucking soul searching about not spending $xxxx on a phone?

      He was saying that if you work in tech, and the reason not to buy a phone for $1,200 is because you cannot afford it, then yes, you should do a bit of soul searching how come that you haven't got a well paying job.

      If you don't like the phone, or if you have other priorities, or if you think that it isn't worth it or not worth it for you, that's fine. But if you cannot afford it? In England, every chav living on benefits has an iPhone. If you work in tech and cannot afford it, you are doing something wrong.

    3. Re: Sure I could find the money by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      You tell him! Stinking poor person! Who let him in? Have him ejected at once and everyone check their wallets.

    4. Re: Sure I could find the money by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      $1200 would get you ONE HELL OF A NICE used scope. I might buy the $400 new one, some upgraded probes and call it a day. Invest the remaining $600 in hookers and blow.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  34. I would consider it by Heart44 · · Score: 1

    I would definitely consider it if there was something worthwhile for the money. I have trouble imagining such a thing - Vertu phones don't do it for me - but you never know.

  35. Only $1200? by mentil · · Score: 1

    Only $1200?! Shut up and take my money! /s
    Seriously though, the era of $700 smartphones was mostly over once carriers stopped subsidizing them. Now that you pay an installment plan rather than getting it 'free' it's harder to want to spend that much. For my personal iPhone 8 speculation, I think it'll have a 10-bit Rec.2020 (HDR) camera and OLED screen for HDR color support; I suspect there isn't enough volume of small quantum-dot displays to supply the new iPhones. DPI may have hit the wall of diminishing returns, but color accuracy has a LONG way to go on mobile devices; Apple could easily destroy everything else on the market in terms of color reproduction. This'll also allow for displaying HDR video, like from streaming services or UHD Blurays. I know of one phone that has a quantum-dot display, but AFAIK it's still only able to use sRGB gamut. Android has no gamma/colorspace calibration settings, I seem to recall. Imagine if you hold your phone up to a mirror in a dark room, and the selfie camera automatically calibrates the color on your screen; calibration can cause a massive reduction in screen color error. Samsung phones' OLED displays have a wide gamut, but stretch the corners of the sRGB gamut so colors are oversaturated (i.e. pretty), rather than accurate. Hopefully they'll nuke the Lightning connector (it still connects at USB 2.0 speeds) and replace it with USB-C (USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt 3, I don't care much.) USB-C now supports digital audio with the latest standard, so it could replace the standard 3.5mm headphone jack with the new standard USB-C rather than the proprietary Lightning, correcting their misstep (although alienating those who bought Lightning headphones).

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  36. Breaking News.. by thesupraman · · Score: 5, Informative

    Pseudo-elitist dreams of being slightly more elitist without having to leave their conformist comfort zone.

    what he really means is 'every kid on the block has an iphone these days, I pine for when I felt more special, so make a more expensive model so I can separate myself from the unwashed masses again (but actually I am a closet conformist, so it needs to be from my regular supplier, work in the same way - so please just make it cost more so I can buy myself a bit more 'special'..).

    Believing that Apple is somehow constrained by price or volume is laughably laughable, they already delivery less for more and have demonstrated a willingness to have availability shortages (in fact historically have done it with a sense of pride during notable releases).

    [Stands back to watch the koolaid drinkers backlash against reality]

  37. The Constraining of Greed. by geekmux · · Score: 2

    Apple, you want to charge more for your product, because you feel constrained as to what you can do with a phone? The last time you felt constrained you removed the headphone jack. And that's but one "feature" (out of dozens) users never asked for.

    Hundreds of billions sitting in offshore tax havens, already obscene profit margins, and you feel the need to charge even more. This flavor of Greed is only matched by the stupidity of customers willing to pay that much for your product. Sadly, I'm certain the lines will be longer than ever on release day.

    1. Re:The Constraining of Greed. by JonnyCalcutta · · Score: 1

      Hey, there are people above telling us that if we can't afford an iPhone at $1200 we should do some soul searching.

    2. Re:The Constraining of Greed. by King_TJ · · Score: 1

      That's a pretty ridiculous statement though.... If Apple only gave users the features they asked for, they would have never been noticed as a company. Probably would have been out of business by now.

      Apple's "magic" was designing new things people didn't even realize they wanted. They didn't always get it right, but they did pretty regularly, at least once Steve Jobs took the company back and got it back on track.

      You call it "greed" when Apple wants to charge more than ever before for a new product. But in reality, it all depends on what people feel like they get for their dollar when they buy it. How many hundreds of billions of dollars Apple has earned really has nothing to do with the value a new product release does or doesn't have.

      If the lines are longer than ever on release day for the next phone? That only proves Apple priced it correctly.

    3. Re:The Constraining of Greed. by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      If you're in a technical field, and can't afford to spend $1200 on a phone every few years, something's wrong. If you don't want to spend $1200 on a phone, or prefer to stick to a budget that prevents that, fine.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  38. I don't count anyway by Kokuyo · · Score: 1

    I am in no way average as a consumer.

    I just got a Lenovo P2 and I freaking love that thing! I charge it about every two to four days while happily watching the Plex media (synced to to 128GB SD card I added in lieu of a second SIM) during my commute.

    It's not perfect. Still doesn't have a hardware keyboard but damned if it isn't the first smartphone since the Desire Z I actually don't hate using.

    And it didn't even cost half of the usual flagship phones. (my employer spent a bit over half of what a flagship phone would have cost even after contract extension rebates... and that's without contract extension)

    My wife's now P2 is in the mail to replace her dying Lumia 930.

    1. Re:I don't count anyway by Kokuyo · · Score: 1

      That should have been "my wife's new P2"

  39. Sigh. by ledow · · Score: 2

    No, but I'm sure some idiot would.

    My problem is not price but value-for-money. It's not there in Apple products, reflected in their ludicrously high margins. They aren't giving you anywhere near the value that the devices and associated services cost.

    But Samsung aren't much better. I wouldn't touch any of their top-range smart phones either. And I can't see why my S5 mini is basically an S5 WITHOUT USB host functionality. Basically everything else is identical, but a software / TINY hardware change, makes things not work on the Mini for no real discernible reason.

    But I factored that into my value analysis when I bought it. It's not worth paying extra, for a screen that I think is too big, just to get USB host. In similar terms of what I actually want to do on the phone, Apple doesn't even get a look-in. Never has.

    But I'm sure there are people out there with money to burn, because EVERY new model of smartphone has people who buy it by the truckload, which is just unfathomable to me. Most of them don't use it for anything more than a quick snap, checking Facebook, and texting their friends. Hell, I've met people who barely use 5% of the functions / apps on their phone, or even know what they do (e.g. introducing people to using Map apps as a satnav etc.).

    Why you'd pay that money for a device you don't even understand the basic capabilities of, I can't work out. It's like buying a Ferrari sports car when you can't even drive a Fiat Panda or have never heard of air-conditioning. You do it entirely for the show.

    1. Re:Sigh. by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Smartphones aren't expensive. I spent $30K on a car that I might not keep for a full 15 years, so that's $2K/year just for the price of the car, disregarding maintenance and consumables. Compared to that, spending $800 on something I use numerous times daily for maybe three years isn't all that expensive.

      What you're paying for when you buy Apple is basically a high-quality phone with good support and iOS. If you like iOS better than Android, spending less than a dollar a day for something you're constantly using may be a very good use of your money.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  40. Not for a disposable object by iamacat · · Score: 2

    Phones drop, get ruined by water and are obsolete after a year. I don't mind spending money for a durable object, but I don't want to agonize about dangling my phone over the side of a boat to take photos. Will reconsider if and when there are inexpensive repairs and upgrades available.

    1. Re:Not for a disposable object by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      I've gotten to where I treat cars, computers, and now smart phones the same way. It's stupid to pay top dollar, just to get the newest model. One or two year old computers/phones are still extremely capable devices, and will have just about the same functional lifetime as a brand new model - for significantly less money.

      When smartphones were still a new thing, each new generation offered a huge performance boost in practical terms... but that's no longer the case. With Apple, at least, you can save several hundred dollars AND get the same warranty as a new phone by buying refurbished. For example, a refurb 64GB iPhone 6S is $509, which is $240 less than the base model 128GB iPhone 7. PLUS it comes with a headphone jack!

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re:Not for a disposable object by iamacat · · Score: 1

      One or two year old computers/phones are still extremely capable devices

      Not in my experience. Updates to applications and websites bloat system requirements even when one is not using any new features. And few cell phones have easily replaceable batteries.

      On the other hand, I tend to drive a car for close to a decade and replacing it is much more of a hassle than swapping a phone. So I don't mind paying some more to have a pleasant experience for hour and a half commute per day.

    3. Re:Not for a disposable object by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      I haven't had an issue with the batteries of my two most recent smartphones (iPhone 5, iPhone 6 Plus), nor with an original iPad Mini. After two years, both phones were still holding up pretty well. After four years, though, the iPhone 5 battery life was down enough that I'd sometimes have to plug it in mid-day if I wanted to be sure it would not die by evening. Annoying, but that's about it. The Mini's battery life after four years was still surprisingly good, although that device didn't get the daily use that the phones did.

      With certain apps, however... I can't really disagree with you.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
  41. I wouldn't buy it, period. by KozmoStevnNaut · · Score: 1

    I've had iDevices, including an iPad Air. Sure, the hardware was nice, but the user experience is so locked-down, strangled and limited that it was a real hassle to use it.

    Not worth it.

    --
    Eat the rich.
  42. i am done with expensive smartphones by FudRucker · · Score: 1

    i bought a galaxy S6 about a year ago and i hardly use it for anything other than phone calls and txt msgs , when this phone craps out i am not buying another expensive smartphone, i will buy just enough phone to do what i want, (no point in buying expensive features i will never use)

    --
    Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
  43. Yes by Arnold+Reinhold · · Score: 2

    Yes, if the $1200 model is the iPhone I like best, and I may buy more for family members too. I want a company that takes security seriously, that controls the entire product from the hardware up (no security if you don't) , that can update the software it provides without asking my cell carrier for permission, that is willing to stand up to the FBI, and, yes, that vets every app I download. I consider the last a valuable service; you may not. $1200 over two or maybe three years is dirt cheap compared to what I am getting.

    1. Re:Yes by volodymyrbiryuk · · Score: 1
      1200 over 3 years is still 400 per year. You have to be either a snob or an Apple fan boy if this is dirt cheap to you.

      and I may buy more for family members

      .. maybe you could get one for me too.

      --
      sudo rm -r -f --no-preserve-root /
  44. Bait .. by luckypunq · · Score: 1

    Meh all this article tells me is that the iPhone8 is going to be more expensive than the last iteration, all this rubbish about $1200-$1500 is just to soften the blow .. it will not cost anything like as much so Apple can say look we listened and decided to be couragous and only charged an extra $100-$200 dollars this time.

  45. Idiot by sad_ · · Score: 1

    What a nut case this guy is, the 'top end' phones are already way to expensive as they are now. Not a chance i'm paying €800 for a phone.
    My maximum budget is €200 and that gets you a really great phone already, suiting more then my needs. Paying €600 extra could never be worth the added value these 'top end' phones provide.

    --
    On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
    1. Re:Idiot by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Paying €600 extra could never be worth the added value these 'top end' phones provide.

      If you keep a phone for two years (I keep them longer), you're spending less than a euro a day for a high-end phone. If you use your phone as much as lots of us do, you may well find a phone that's nicer to use worth the money. I understand that this doesn't apply to you, but lots of people prefer certain phones, and the additional money isn't that much.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  46. No, but I know who would by Vermonter · · Score: 1

    I'd be willing to bet our CEO and the majority of other higher-ups who are self important will want one ASAP. After all, Apple products are, by and large, a status symbol, not something you buy because it's actually worth what you pay for it.

  47. Re:Slashdot is the wrong audience for this questio by rholtzjr · · Score: 2

    Problem being is IF you get a fancy phone, quite a few others will also want your fancy phone. I seem to recall a commercial a couple of years ago about a person being mugged and they gave his phone back to him (hilarious). I kind of like that idea that others would not be interested in wanting my phone even if they stole it.

  48. Re:Fantastic by Stormwatch · · Score: 1

    Removable storage ? Check

    Too many recent phones lack that. And some lack the headphone jack. Sometimes things change for the worse.

  49. I sure wouldn't, and I doubt my company will by sabbede · · Score: 1

    either. And that's the only reason I have or have ever had an iPhone - my company 'issues them.

  50. No need to qualify that by technomom · · Score: 1

    I'm not buying the iPhone 8 at any price.

  51. Re:Depends on the features by Gonoff · · Score: 2

    or a removable battery?

    or a modern interface?

    --
    I'll see your Constitution and raise you a Queen.
  52. Are headlines with a questionmark clickbait? by houghi · · Score: 1

    I guess the are. OMG I broke Betteridge's law.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  53. No, but I wouldn't buy it for $200 by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    The only way I'd use an iPhone is if someone gave it to me for free. I'm not re-buying or buying equivalent apps, and I do things with my phone that you can't do without it being open to your control instead of only that of the manufacturer.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  54. I would not buy an iPhone by Damouze · · Score: 1

    Period.

    --
    And on the Eighth Day, Man created God.
  55. Nope. No iPhony for me... by Eric+Freyhart · · Score: 1

    I have a Note 4. Perfect phone, no issues, does more. My Note 4 still out performs the latest iPhone and I see no way I would switch. Ever. I am now waiting on the Note 8 and I am sure I will be happy with it also.

  56. Not for v1.0 by um...+Lucas · · Score: 1

    As a current iPhone owner of a somewhat older model (5S), I'm torn between going with a 6S or 7 in the future. Should the 8 arrive and be within the "regular" iPhone price range, my debate will change to whether to get a 7 or 8. If it arrives at the $1200 price range, no matter what cool new features it offers, it would probably be uninteresting until software developers actually wrote stuff to take advantage of the new features. Meaning, I'd just assume wait til the iPhone 9 arrives, so that software is available, and (presumably) the part shortages the author alludes to would be remedied.

    But somewhere I read that Apple refuses to use a part in their phone unless they can obtain them from two independent sources. Makes me think the scenario that the author alludes to wouldn't occur at all. Yes, Apple sells pricey gear, but they're in the "pricey but reasonable" area, in order to maximize both sales and profits. Going all in on price to the exclusion of sales at all, that would be a reversion to the tactics of the 80's/90's which saw them in doom and gloom mode...

  57. No. Next question? by bfwebster · · Score: 1

    I've got an iPhone 6+. I'm quite happy with it.

    On the other hand, I may well get an iPad Pro (to replace my 1st gen iPad Air) when iOS 11 comes out. ..bruce..

    --
    Bruce F. Webster (brucefwebster.com)
  58. I'd rather stick /w Android. by AnthonywC · · Score: 1

    Wont buy even if it costs $120

  59. Maybe... by VAXcat · · Score: 1

    ...does it have an earphone jack?

    --
    There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.
    1. Re:Maybe... by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      If it had no ports at all, including wireless charging, I could give up the earphone jack for the waterproof nature of the device.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  60. Re:Fantastic by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    Removable storage ? Check

    Too many recent phones lack that. And some lack the headphone jack. Sometimes things change for the worse.

    I've probably used my headphone jack at most a dozen times in the last 2 years... not that often... but there's no way in hell I'd get a phone without one.

    Different priorities for different people. Other people may not care, and that's fine... but it still strikes me as a bizarre step.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  61. Gold Bar? by Templer421 · · Score: 1

    It is approaching the cost of a gold bar in your pocket!

    No one would shoot you in the face and take your $1200 Gold Bar would they?

    1. Re:Gold Bar? by dwye · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't shoot you, if I could get it by just pistol-whipping you, instead :-)

  62. iPhone? by woboyle · · Score: 1

    I would not purchase an iPhone if it were free... I trust Apple almost as much as I "trust" Microsoft!

    --
    Sometimes, real fast is almost as good as real-time.
  63. Re:Slashdot is the wrong audience for this questio by Lumpy · · Score: 1

    Apple solved this. A stolen iphone is 100% useless on the black market as they cant register it or get into it without the owner releasing it from icloud. And so many people are getting burned on that.

    Pawn shops refuse to take an iphone if you can not prove it has been full released and reset. Even the craigslisters are asking for proof that it's released before purchase..... well the ones that have a brain are.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  64. Re:Fantastic by Lumpy · · Score: 1

    I haven't used wired headphones for 3 years now. Bluetooth is so much more convenient and even in my car it's automatically connected.

    Honestly, give up the cheap wired things and try the wireless stuff. It's extremely convenient. Both android and iphone are fantastic without wires. there really is no real reason to have to search for a cable to plug in or even dig the phone out of my pocket anymore.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  65. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  66. I would not by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 1

    They keep pushing the costs just to see what they can get away with. Watch the faces of the consumers when the first tear down discloses how much the thing costs to build and enjoy the schadenfreude.

    It would bring a tear to P.T. Barnum's eye I'm sure.

    Apple should jump in the wayback machine and go ask Silicon Graphics how well their elitist pricing worked out for them.

    You can get away with it for a while as long as you're the only game in town. Once you have competition, however, the game changes and you either adapt or cease to be.

    To answer the original question of if I would buy one ? I'll borrow a far more colorful answer:

    I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request.

    Means "no".

    1. Re:I would not by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Who's pushing the cost? The guy who thinks Apple will or should jack up the price? I haven't seen a sign of a raised price from Apple.

      iPhones are priced similarly to other top-of-the-line phones, last I looked. There has been competition in the form of inexpensive Android phones for some time, and the higher-end ones still seem to sell.

      Possibly it's because a high-end smart phone really isn't that expensive per use. I don't remember what SGI charged, but I suspect it was pretty much up there.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  67. Re:I call bullshit by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

    Not sure why you say obscene. The iPhone margin isn't much higher than other high end smartphones, with the 7 being lower than the Note 3 and almost the same as the Pixel (https://www.techwalls.com/production-costs-of-smartphones/).

    Those "profit margins" also just compare retail cost to materials cost. They don't include R&D, certification, developing the OS, shipping, retail staff, support, warranty, disposal, etc. Considering Apple makes their own OS instead of using one offered by an analytics company, you might easily consider the iPhone margin lower than high end Android phones.

    The iPhone markup is high for a computer, similar to competing smartphones, and utterly insignificant compared to other types of luxury designer retail.

  68. Re:Slashdot is the wrong audience for this questio by rholtzjr · · Score: 1

    As any programmer, knows NOTHING is 100% when it comes to software/hardware in this day and age. There is always something that is not taken into account. As long as human beings create or design something, there will always be a way around any security measure put into place. Make it difficult? Yes, but currently it will NEVER be a 100% guarantee.

  69. No by Spacelem · · Score: 1

    No, I wouldn't get an iPhone even if it were free. I don't want to buy into their ecosystem, nor do I want to reward their tax dodging, or their cult like practices.

  70. Re:Fantastic by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    My car is 5 years old so doesn't have Bluetooth as it wasn't standard in all cars back then.

    As for "cheap wired things". The quality over wired headphones is greater than even the best possible Bluetooth headphones.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  71. Why is this post not a poll? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Endless discussions on this matter are pointless. Just turn this into a poll and be done with it.

  72. Re:Depends on the features by freeze128 · · Score: 1

    or a headphone jack?

  73. USB C - Maybe... by johnjones · · Score: 1

    If it had USB C I would be interested

    things I would like :

    USB C connector (they can do their Made For iPhone for everything but let me have a standard power jack please)

    Iris scanner (not a crappy face scanner thats only for ruling out Iris defeat devices)

    Fingerprint (touch ID Maintained via port on the back or power button)

    Antennas (More of them, the antenna design needs a lot more work we could have multiple Wifi / LTE antenna if they didn't think thin but fast)

    NFC responder (I'm fed up of carrying a badge around work to open doors, kill this already ! NFC reader is already in specs I want response)

    Bluetooth 5 ( 5 is alive and they need to support more of the standard if not all of the relevant such as health device, HID, proximity and PAN )

    Temperature (IR temperature reader exposed to developers to allow crowdsourced weather apps etc)

    Navigation (full QZSS (japan), IRNSS(indian) Galileo(europe) and BeiDou(china) all merged together and error checking each other rather than just GPS/GLONASS )

    I'd happily pay for that...

    regards

    John Jones

  74. Wait a year, get it at half off by enjar · · Score: 1

    I stepped off the upgrade bandwagon a while ago. Just like with cars, the used market offers fantastic value given the steep depreciation of electronics. Plus you get a year or so for other people to find the exploding batteries, dodgy touch sensors, update bugs, bending problems, wireless headphones to actually be shipped, etc. I guess there's always the "oooh factor", but honestly that goes away about a week after launch and no one gives a damn anymore, you just have another bar-shaped phone with a logo on it.

  75. Hell Yes! by fabriciom · · Score: 1

    Wait, what was the question again? Ah, no I'm poor and still waiting for google to release a cheap nexus. Mean while I'm still on my nexus 5.

  76. Ignore the "iPhone" part. $1200+ for a PHONE??? by Fencepost · · Score: 1

    Sure there's some impressive stuff that phones can do these days, but frankly I expect to never again purchase a phone that's priced higher than "midrange." I pay for my own devices, and I'm not so well off that $1k+ is something I'd consider pocket change or even a purchase I'd make without a second thought.

    Phones get dropped. Phones get wet. Phones get things dropped or placed on top of them. Phones get left behind. Phones get stolen. Because of the size and having them always with you, it's even easier for any of these to happen to a phone than to a laptop.

    Get what will meet your realistic needs for a year or two at 1/3 the price of the New Hotness, set it up so if you lose it it's not a catastrophe (online backup, remote wipe, etc.), and in a year or two do the same thing again. If you're lucky you'll be able to sell the old one, but given all the bad things that can happen to phones don't count on it - it's a consumable, not an investment.

    --
    fencepost
    just a little off
    1. Re:Ignore the "iPhone" part. $1200+ for a PHONE??? by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Some people seem to be a lot less careful with phones than my family. We've had at least two smartphones in the family since a few months after the first iPhone came out, and nothing untoward has happened to any of them.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    2. Re:Ignore the "iPhone" part. $1200+ for a PHONE??? by Fencepost · · Score: 1

      I'm not saying that breakage WILL happen, but that it CAN and is fairly common (how many places are there in your area that can replace cracked/broken phone screens?).

      --
      fencepost
      just a little off
  77. Haters gonna hate. by LS1+Brains · · Score: 1

    You know, as soon as you FAndroids can tell me how to update this phone to the latest revision of Nougat (7.1.1), that was bought running Nougat (7.0), your pointless blustering might just hold a little bit of weight. For all this "versatility" and "lack of being stuck in Apple's walled garden" crap you folks blindly spew, it sure feels restrictive here in Android-ville.

    Now lets wait for a bunch of little propellerheads to start asking "what phone?" and "have you rooted?" and pointing me to some blogs where some guy somewhere hacked the shit out of something until it "installed" but freezes and crashes like crazy. But it runs! lol. Hardly.

    In case some of you don't get it, this is why Apple is STILL winning. This is why Apple devices are perceived as 'better' by the masses. Because, well, they are. Sure some certain Android running device may do something an Apple device doesn't. Same looking back the other direction as well, no? The point is Apple devices work. Reliably, predictably, and consistently. I have both, I carry both, but when I need to rely on my devices one of them clearly shines - and it ain't running Android. I really do like Nougat a lot, but it definitely irritates me that not only can I NOT upgrade to the latest builds, there's ZERO indication when I will be able to IF EVER! That is a losing proposition right there.

    1. Re:Haters gonna hate. by ewhenn · · Score: 1

      In all honesty who cares about running the latest mobile OS? Assuming your phone is patched for exploits, does it really matter if the icons look a little different or the UI behaves slightly differently? This is OS agnostic. I could care less about having the newest Apple or Android OS. It doesn't matter. A phone is a tool. If it does what I need it to do (make calls, send texts, send emails, GPS navigation) then it has done its job. I don't really care if the icons look a little different with rounded vs square corners, or if menu swipes down differently.

    2. Re:Haters gonna hate. by LS1+Brains · · Score: 1

      Ahh I see, operating system updates are merely ARTWORK updates! Who knew?

      Sorry, can't dismiss it that easily. Perhaps it doesn't matter to you, doesn't mean there aren't actual ramifications for others. At the simplest level, it introduces issues with API usage for developers. With Android, you never make use of any recent API because you're painfully aware pretty much nobody can run it. With Apple, you're guaranteed to have wide support pretty soon after launch. That's big. Big enough that Google has made it a key point to tackle. But alas, just artwork updates right?

    3. Re:Haters gonna hate. by ewhenn · · Score: 1

      No, realize it's not "just artwork" and I understand that there are differences and additions to the APIs under the hood. However from a functional perspective for the user and generally speaking not a lot changes outside of some slight UI adjustments. My web browser still renders HTML and responds to back button requests. My text messaging app still sends text messages. As a user it doesn't matter to me if the drawUserElement() API is structured differently or slightly more efficient. Most people that use phones are doing really basic tasks on them where the OS advancements don't make a measurable difference for what they do on the devices. Is text messaging, phone call quality, and email going to be that much better on Android 7.1.1 vs 7.0?

  78. Re:Slashdot is the wrong audience for this questio by rhsanborn · · Score: 1

    I'm also curious what he thinks Apple can implement with the extra margin that they can't already do on the iPhone? I'm sure they can put fancier, higher resolution screens, maybe a crazy camera, etc. But I don't think people are going to pay a 60-80% increase for a marginally better camera, and I don't think there is a killer new use case that is just waiting for this one expensive technology to be put on the phone.

  79. Depends by Cajun+Hell · · Score: 1

    Do they pay you the $1200 right when you take it, or do you have to use it continuously and they pay you over the course of a whole year, or what?

    --
    "Believe me!" -- Donald Trump
  80. 1,200? by grasshoppa · · Score: 1

    I wouldn't drop 1,200 on ANY mobile device.

    Well, unless it were also my computer which I could then dock and play games on ( desktop games, not mobile ). The dock and associated peripherals would have to be included in that 1,200, or no deal.

    --
    Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
  81. Re: display cabinet by unixisc · · Score: 1

    So you sell something like 26(!) iToys, and then are amazed that someone paid you several times the price of a brand new iPhone 7? Boy, do you depreciate your property quickly!

    I had a perfectly good 5s, but I wanted something w/ Apple Pay, and when my chance to upgrade arrived, iPhone 7 was just a couple of months away, so I waited. I then passed on the 5s to my niece, and got the 7. Originally, when I bought the 5s, I wasn't mindful that the 6 was just months away: had I been, I'd have waited then itself and not upgraded to 7.

  82. Depends by ilsaloving · · Score: 1

    Anyone who blindly says "yes" or "no" can be safely ignored.

    As always, it depends on various factors. What features will it provide? Does it do what you want? Does it do something particularly attractive to you that no other phone does? Are those features worth it to you to pay the Apple Tax?

    I just spent $1200 on an iPhone 7 Plus because I didn't want to be restricted in storage, and it's the only mobile device on the market that supports Bluetooth Power Class 1. Paired with a BeatsX headphone ($175), I have had audio quality that I didn't realize was even possible. I have had exactly one connection interruption and that was in a known area with exceptionally bad RF interference. This is in comparison to my previous setup where I couldn't even walk down the street without multiple interruptions.

    My time is finite, and I choose not to waste it futzing around with an appliance that should Just Work(tm).

    Also, I considered holding off my purchase and waiting till the 8 came out, but Apple hardware seems to work like Microsoft software. The early adopters invariable feel some kind of teething pains that can take months to sort out, and I wasn't willing to put up with that.

  83. No, because iTunes by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 1

    No. iTunes is truly awful software. Basic operations like copying pictures or music are a painful chore with it. Customers pay me to put up with that crap and I won't spend my time or money on it.

    For $120 I can get a Samsung Galaxy Express Prime 2 with the same size screen as an iPhone 7, a removable battery, Headphone jack, and a MicroSD slot. Best of all, if I want to sync my music to it I can drag-and-drop the folder into the phone or sync them with Dropbox.

    Fuck iTunes and the phones that require it.

  84. $1200 HAHAHAHAHA by ewhenn · · Score: 2

    No. Just no.

    I love technology, but I'm not willing to pay anywhere near close to that for what is essentially a disposable device. I typically buy a new phone when the one I'm using doesn't do what I need it to do. I have a Honor 5X that I bought about a year and a half ago for $110. It sends texts, emails, takes pictures, and works fine for basic web browsing. The battery is still good condition so it may last another 1.5 years. You can keep a li-ion battery in "good shape" by keeping the charge between 30-85% and only full charging when you absolutely have a need to like traveling, etc. A phone is a tool, and unless there is a new version/device that will improve my productivity or is much more functional then there is no need to upgrade as long as it is operational. I treat everything this way. It's the reason I drove my last vehicle for 14 years. Yes it had some rust, etc. but it was functional, why waste money on an unneeded vehicle upgrade when it could be used elsewhere with better long term results?

  85. $185 is a relatively inexpensive money clip by h4ck7h3p14n37 · · Score: 1

    It's not a paperclip, it's a money clip! Two totally different things!

    $185 is actually pretty reasonable as far as money clips go. Check out the various models from M-Clip. They're all the same design, but you can pay anywhere from $60 on up to $4,500 for one with diamonds.

    I bought two of the mid-range models and it was the first time in my life I truly understood what status symbols were about. Not just what the dictionary definition is, but what it really means when people buy these things. At a certain level of income any additional money you make becomes truly expendable. All of your needs have been paid for along with your future needs, so saving or investing the money for the future makes less and less sense compared to spending it on something fun for yourself. After all, you can't take it with you.

    Finding ways to spend your money becomes an actual problem as you become more and more wealthy. That's why some people have big car and art collections, it's a place to keep their money. At some point you even start buying companies, islands, start charities and funds, etc.

    1. Re:$185 is a relatively inexpensive money clip by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      It's not a paperclip, it's a money clip! Two totally different things!

      Right, one of them holds papers, and the other holds... different papers.

      $185 is actually pretty reasonable as far as money clips go.

      Maybe, if you're an idiot. For people who desire utility instead of trying to point out to everyone that they decided to spend $185 to keep their money together, you can get this for a whole lot less than $185.

      I bought two of the mid-range models and it was the first time in my life I truly understood what status symbols were about.

      Right, and who's going to know what your status is unless you tell them? I prefer going on the internet and telling everyone about the stupid purchases I make just because I have so much money. It makes me feel better about myself.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
  86. Umm, no by JohnFen · · Score: 1

    That's far too high a price for a smartphone.

  87. Re:Fantastic by JohnFen · · Score: 1

    Honestly, give up the cheap wired things and try the wireless stuff.

    The problem with wireless earphones is battery life. I can't find any that last more than a couple of hours on a single charge.

    Until they solve that, I'll stick with my very excellent wired earphones, thanks.

  88. Memory? by Stormthirst · · Score: 1

    I had an iPhone 4S. A 16GB device. The memory on that thing filled up so quickly with Podcasts and Music etc. It was a hassle.

    Then I upgraded to an LG G4 which has a MicroSD card slot. Space was suddenly not an issue. I've even upgraded the memory card once since getting the phone because space became tight again. I can take that same memory card over to my next phone when I upgrade that.

    Until Apple starts offering an expandable memory option in their phones, I'm not going back.

    Simples!

    1. Re:Memory? by JohnFen · · Score: 1

      Yep.

      There are three things that I consider mandatory in a phone in order for me to even consider buying it:

      1) An SD card slot
      2) An easily replaceable battery
      3) A headphone jack

      Everything else is, to varying degrees, negotiable.

    2. Re:Memory? by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      I had that problem, so when I got my 5S I got 64G. Three years later and it's only half full. Of course, your mileage may vary.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  89. Re:What you cannot argue... by wierd_w · · Score: 1

    Yes I can. My phone runs LineageOS.

    https://lineageos.org/

    It is AOSP (Android Open Source Project) based, so it is genuine android OS-- What makes it different? It does not have carrier-mandated bloatware baked in, *AND* is functional *WITHOUT GOOGLE APPS*. In fact, the installed base package does not have google apps installed at all!!

    That means that if one so wishes, they can sideload the Amazon app store, and give google the finger, in totality.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/...

    So YES, AC-- I *WILL* argue that-- because *YOU CAN*. iDevices? Shit no. Apple does not give out the source code, and does not allow custom compiled phone images to be created by anyone other than their internal development teams. You will never see a custom built iOS the way you will find projects like LineageOS.

  90. Wouldn't have it even for FREE by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    I wouldn't take one if you gave it to me with free connectivity for life, or any other smartphone for that matter. If I want to be monitored 24/7/365, I'll go rob a bank and kill people so I get put in prison for the rest of my life. At least then I'll know for sure I'm being watched instead of having to wonder about it.

    1. Re:Wouldn't have it even for FREE by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      You're monitored 24/7/365 by carrying a phone that's talking to towers. Your purchases on credit cards are monitored. If you want to go under the radar for a period, don't carry a phone but have lots of cash.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  91. plenty of market by Khashishi · · Score: 1

    Rich kids will buy 50 of them and play Jenga.

  92. Question in the title by stooo · · Score: 1

    >> Would You Buy the iPhone 8 If It Cost $1,200?
    No.
    >> Would You Buy the iPhone 8 ?
    No.

    --
    aaaaaaa
  93. Yes - - - Then lose it within one week ! by mallyn · · Score: 1

    Yep, yur heard it. I would buy it. Then lose it within one week. Then talk about it. Then go back to my Western Electric black 1960's dial phone, which I cannot seem to lose.

    --
    Most Respectfully Yours Mark Allyn Bellingham, Washington
  94. For that price by Holi · · Score: 1

    It better have a gtx 1080 built in.

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  95. Bloatware/Crapware by Moof123 · · Score: 1

    My phone needs, and my wife's phone needs would be handled nicely by any number of $200 or so Android phones. I need a decent camera, a little space for some tunes, a battery for a week of standby operation, and a decent enough screen to have maps on it. I use it for very little.

    But the few $200-300 phones we bought were mangled incarnations of Android, full of bloatware and crapware. Those apps got auto-updated to the point where the phone ran out of space and was horrible to use for even a phone call.

    So I spent $400 for a older model iPhone 5 for the wife on VM, and she was happy. I spent $400 on a closeout Nexus 6 a year later. We are now both on Ting and spend $35 on average for our usage (well, $30 for her usage, about $5 for my proportion...). $400 was too much for what we want the phones for, but I see the likelihood of having to shell out about $600 for an older model 6s for her in the next 6-12 months as her 3 year old phone is getting rather worse for wear.

    So no way in hell am I shelling out anywhere near $1200 for an iPhone, or a Pixel knockoff of it, or a Samsung Flamer 8, etc. I'll troll the closeouts for something about 1/3 of that at most, and still be cranky for wasting so much on an appliance I primarily use to receive grocery list texts on.

  96. Stockholder here... by kaizendojo · · Score: 1
    Me, no fucking way; are you kidding me??? Four figures for a PHONE???

    But I hope sincerely the rest of you do; it's such a great idea, super awesome and just for people who "get it".

    Do you think they believed that?

  97. no. by ponraul · · Score: 1

    No. I will import some good chinee clones and sell them tho. ^_^

  98. Never say Never by HexaByte · · Score: 1

    The only way I would pay $1200 for an iPhone was if it came with $1100 of easily removable gold plating. That way I could conceivably get my money's worth out of it.

    --
    HexaByte - he's a square and a half!
  99. I'm not necessarily opposed to ta 4 figure pice... by King_TJ · · Score: 1

    Increasingly, my cellphone has really become more of a pocket computer that I rely on constantly for both my work and personal communications. It often serves as the only camera or camcorder I'm carrying when I want to take photos or shoot video. It serves as my alarm clock each morning, and reminds me of appointments during the day. I often read the news on it while I'm out someplace. It might even be pressed into service as a flashlight or a ruler or bubble level in a pinch. I keep track of eBay auctions with it and track packages with it. I even get discounts at restaurants or earn points using their apps on it.

    It's every bit as useful as my laptop that I happily spent 4 figures on.

    The better question is what I'm going to get for my money if I buy it? I'm currently using an iPhone 7 Plus with 256GB of storage and it cost fairly close to $1,000. I have my whole music collection stored on it so it's accessible in my car or Jeep via Bluetooth at any time - justifying the extra cost for the extra storage. I'm pretty happy with the phone and it does most of what I need. So far, it sounds like the iPhone 8 will give me things like inductive charging, which is "nice to have" but not anything I'd spend a lot of money to get right now.

    Truthfully? My cellular reception is one of my biggest hassles. All too often, I go inside some large building and find I don't have a good signal in part of it, or I travel someplace where my carrier has poor coverage (T-Mobile). It works well enough for what I pay each month for service. But if there was some way a new phone could promise a dramatically improved radio and antenna setup that would keep it locked in noticeably better on towers? I'd gladly pay to upgrade for that.

  100. Re:Fantastic by Larry+Lightbulb · · Score: 1

    The good thing about cheap wired things is that they're cheap. I can leave them scattered about and if someone walks away with a pair I'm not too concerned.

  101. Nope... by MerlTurkin · · Score: 1

    I still use a flip phone. I don't need to be connected to the net every F'n minute of the day/night.

  102. Definitely not by baerd · · Score: 1

    That's $1550 Canadian, so no .. no I wouldn't.

    --
    I wish I had a lawn.
  103. Ridiculous Question, in My Case by dwye · · Score: 1

    I still use a 4S because it was so cheap at the time (and because it fits in my shirt and pants pockets, rather than requiring a small backpack to carry around).

    Admittedly, it is getting harder to get replacement accessories, nowadays. My charging cord is purple, because the world seems to out of white or black iPod cables.

  104. congratulations by izzo+nizzo · · Score: 1

    You asked if we would buy a product that has not been announced, one which will have new features about which we know nothing. This is like asking if I would spend $850 on a Bibbulous bike. Maybe! It depends what that is

  105. Interests by erikpc · · Score: 1

    Apple is not likely interested in making the most awesome phone, they are more likely interested in making the most profitable phone.

  106. Not a chance by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

    I wouldn't buy it if it costed $12.00
    It simply isn't worth the effort of buying no matter how low the price.

  107. No. by DiEx-15 · · Score: 1

    LOL!

    No.

  108. Not on your life by wickedwitchofwest · · Score: 1

    I think this is ridiculous even if it is a Pro product. It's a phone, not a computer, or even an iPad. I don't upgrade every time now, at this price I'd buy a Samsung, especially as in the U.K. We seem to pay £1 per dollar on Apple product.

  109. Re:Depends on the features by david_thornley · · Score: 1

    What I want is an iPhone with all the nifty new features that fits in all my shirt pockets and has a headphone jack. So far, I haven't seen anything that tempting to replace my 5S with.

    --
    "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  110. id sell you one for 600 by KingBenny · · Score: 1

    if they gave me one for free ...
    strangely my $50 huawei android phone still seems to have way too many things installed, i mostly use the flashlight and recorder and thats about it, then again i have no friends (not even fakebook ones)

    --
    Free speech was meant to be free for all... how can anyone grow up in a nanny state ?
  111. Does anyone want to discuss the actual point by dwightk · · Score: 1

    Gruber made? Because of the volume of iPhone sales Apple is limited in what they can put in the phone. By selling a Pro model at a price that will lower that volume they can put components in the phone that they couldn't otherwise. maybe someone else mentioned this, but all the posts I'm seeing is "ha stoopid apple fanbois" I gotta get some better friends.

    --
    Like anyone can even know that
  112. Re:Fantastic by Lumpy · · Score: 1

    Mine last 20 hours on a single charge, Bose 35 and have been out for over a year now, only time I have a problem is international flights over 20 hours.
    My daughters "skull Candy over the ear BT headphones go at least 12 hours on a single charge, those were a lot cheaper.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  113. Would I ... by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

    If Apple does launch the iPhone 8 with a 4-figure [1200$] price tag, would you buy it?

    Nope. It's an iDevice, and I've never liked them since the first one I brought - and then sold on. (I will admit, it kept it's resale value).

    120$, no. It's still an iDevice.

    12$, yeah, I'd consider it.

    --
    Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"