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Why spending $1,000 on a smartphone is absolute madness in 2019

NextPit iPhone11ProMax Review 19
© nextpit / Ben Miller

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There was a time when you could pay less than $600 for a new iPhone or buy the latest OnePlus for less than $400, but now it is almost impossible to find the latest flagship from Samsung, Huawei or Apple under the $700-1,000 mark. However, it is absolutely not necessary to spend four figures on a smartphone, even in the high-end segment.

High-end smartphones have become terribly expensive, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. This trend of rising prices for flagships seems not to have stopped in recent years and if you do not believe me I invite you to look at the prices of the various terminals announced for the start of the school year: £999/$1,049 for the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, $999 for the iPhone 11 Pro (add $100 more for the Max version) and €1,099 (we don't know the UK/USA price) for the Huawei Mate 30 Pro. By way of comparison, the Galaxy Note 4, Mate 8, and iPhone 6S were launched at prices of $540, €450 and $649 respectively in 2015.

Not that long ago, my colleague Steffen described the problem of premium smartphone pricing in his article. In addition to the fact that I share his opinion on the need for Apple, Huawei, Samsung and Co to urgently adjust the prices of their smartphones, I can also certify that there is no longer any need to spend $1,000 on a smartphone.

androidpit samsung galaxy note 10 plus 16
It costs you $1,049 to get the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ / © NextPit

Differences now play on the details

Yes, the market has changed. Like it or not, the mobile phone industry is currently experiencing a form of stagnation. A technological stagnation where innovations are no longer as important as they once were, but also an economic stagnation with a market that has reached saturation point in Europe. Indeed, in 2018, smartphone sales stopped increasing, according to two data analysis companies, Strategy Analytics and Counterpoint Research.

The new high-end devices no longer present innovations that can take the breath away from high-tech fans and create the need to renew your smartphone. They can no longer create the new trends and features that we will use in the future (with the exception of folding smartphones). If we look at the latest devices presented by the brands (but this also applies to the future Google Pixel 4 and OnePlus 7T Pro), the differences with previous generations are very small. They are now based on the size of the notch, the number of sensors for the camera or the refresh rate of the screen.

While these improvements are welcome, they do not make the purchase of a new device necessary, even if the smartphone currently in use is more than two years old. If I take the example of the camera, the main differences with the flagships launched two or three years ago are in the night shots. And during the day, it is not necessarily obvious for a non-expert to detect the differences between a Galaxy Note 10 Plus and a Galaxy Note 8.

Two OnePlus 7Ts for the price of an iPhone 11 Pro

In recent years, we have also seen the emergence of a new range of smartphones that are rather high-end in terms of their characteristics without being marketed at an excessive price. These new types of smartphones are particularly difficult to define since they are stuck between the mid-range and high-end. For me, these are the devices you can buy if you still want an excellent smartphone. Honor, OnePlus or Xiaomi are specialized in this genre.

Let's take the example of the OnePlus 7T just announced in India and which should be officialized on October 10 in Europe during an event in London. In terms of performance, the smartphone has nothing to envy to smartphones at over 1,000 dollars with an impressive spec sheet: Snapdragon 885+, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 90 Hz screen, ultra-fast recharging (0 to 70% in 30 minutes), fingerprint reader under the screen, it's all there. All this for the price of $599. So, in terms of photos, the OP7T is less efficient but do the differences really justify this price difference? For the price of an iPhone 11 Pro Max, you can buy two OnePlus 7Ts (one for you, one for your partner). Why do you keep asking yourself that question?

AndroidPIT OnePlus 7T Back
The OnePlus 7T offers excellent value for money / © NextPit

5G is coming

Spending more than $1,000 in 2019 on a smartphone that is not compatible with 5G can be embarrassing. Even if the operators' network and offers are in their infancy, this will certainly not be the case next year and the year after. However, most users who buy a flagship at more than 1000 bucks will continue to use their devices in one or two years without having the opportunity to benefit from the fastest mobile network available. That isn't going to look too smart.

AndroidPIT Samsung Galaxy Fold In Use 3
At the moment, only folding smartphones can justify a price higher than $1,000, and only if the screens are solid / © NextPit

Conclusion: buy smart!

When purchasing a new smartphone, the choice of purchase period is also always very important. Even if merchants offer promotions or deals all year round, there are several good times to do business: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas... Also avoid rushing out for a flagship. If you want to buy a smartphone that offers the best value for money at the moment, I would also strongly advise you to look at the best smartphones from last year.

What do you think about the rise in prices? Are the components and design of the big flagships equal to the price these manufacturers are asking for? What top price would you pay for a smartphone in 2019?

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Pierre Vitré

Pierre Vitré
Head of Content

Pierre has a strong passion for new technologies and mobile since its first StarTac. Android user since 2011, Pierre became totally hooked. He never leaves his smartphone and smartwatch and still believes in the success of Google Glass. That's why he joined AndroidPIT.fr to be the head of content.

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26 comments
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  • 2
    NoQuantums4Alec Feb 9, 2020 Link to comment

    Solution: Wear A Bike Helmet As Your Parents And Teachers Had Advised You From Your High School Days!


  • 2
    NoQuantums4Alec Feb 9, 2020 Link to comment

    Solved One Problem, But What Apps Could Be On The Latest Apple Device?


  • 2
    NoQuantums4Alec Feb 9, 2020 Link to comment

    It’s Even Sad That NVIDIA Had Downgraded My Intel i7 With Super RTX 2080 For The Future Of Windows 12, Instead Of Upgrading To Intel i9!
    It Would Even Be Horrible If I Were To Purchase Cars That Are Not Just Right For The Goldilocks Standard For My Disability! Everything That’s Quantum Would Not Be Within The Goldilocks Standard!😱


  • 2
    NoQuantums4Alec Feb 9, 2020 Link to comment

    Android Doesn’t Have A Built In Smart Screen For The App Store And The Browser And Anti-Exploit! Even All Of The Cyber Security Apps Don’t Work, Because Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Doesn’t List That On Android!
    If I Were To Get A Phone, I Would Want Only Call/Text, GPS And Email! Throws The Paper Ball At Bob Parr Like Edna. “NO APPS!”


  • 2
    NoQuantums4Alec Feb 9, 2020 Link to comment

    According To The App Stores After Playing Cooking Fever, The Quantum Devices Would Have No Appeal To Me, Because There Would Be Nothing Left That I Would Be Interested At Playing And AI Would Be Absolutely Unnatural! So, I Would Take My Leave! Humans Have Free Will, AI Does Not. Good Night!


  • 2
    NoQuantums4Alec Feb 9, 2020 Link to comment

    I'm Not A Fan Of Google And Android! In Fact, $1,000 Would Be Close To My $2,000 Cap For Quantum Devices And Then My Income From The State Would Be Taken Away! Same For The Opposite! Empty FCCU Account Without Any Cash Left! D; I Want To Live Happy And Healthy!


  • 3
    Dennis Oct 18, 2019 Link to comment

    iSheep care nothing about what the latest apple phone doesn't do. They care about the logo and the fancy shmancy, psychologically named features that are announced at the latest WWDC (Wide World of Dumb Cunts) meeting. Us Fandroids have more freedom than iSheep do and we're proud of it. My new phone has THREE TIMES the RAM of the apple phone 11 Pro PLUS 256GB of Internal Storage (plus an additional 2TB of External Storage via SD Card), the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Processor AND an In-Display Fingerprint Scanner (to name just a handful of the awesome and amazing features). 😉👌

    Also, 5G Technology ⚙. 😏

    Deactivated Account


  • Taoufiq Lak 14
    Taoufiq Lak Oct 4, 2019 Link to comment

    For the price, I'll go for something between $500 and $600 from one of the 3 : OnePlus, Xiaomi or Huawei, and that has been on the market for at least 6 months to let me know what's really good about it, and most importantly what's not.

    Dennismarco sarliDean L.


  • Dave Williams 3
    Dave Williams Oct 4, 2019 Link to comment

    Every year phones change one way or another, cameras are being pushed as the main attraction, it's a phone not a digital camera, then the screens , high resolution oled, the human eye can only detect so much, you waste money of higher resolution, now 5g around the corner, it's crazy and nonsensical to buy £ 1000 phones

    Dennismarco sarliDean L.


  • 12
    harshatecordeon Oct 3, 2019 Link to comment

    Agreed points

    DennisDeactivated AccountSorin


  • 46
    Deactivated Account Oct 3, 2019 Link to comment

    Unless they bring back the removable battery I will never pay over 500 for a phone. Paying a 1000 buck for something that is only designed for 2 year lifespan is insane. I paid about 700 for my Note 4 but it is still going strong thanks to the removable thanks, which I have 6 of now.

    Dennismarco sarliDean L.RobCrSorin


    • 3
      Stefan Bogaers Oct 4, 2019 Link to comment

      Changing a battery costs av €80 -€120.... tsssss


      • 46
        Deactivated Account Oct 5, 2019 Link to comment

        Not if the battery is removable, it cost me 15$ a battery and 1 minute of my time

        Dennismarco sarli


  • Rusty H. 33
    Rusty H. Oct 3, 2019 Link to comment

    1000 bucks for a phone is idiotic, but, there are a lot of idiots in the world. Typically, when I'm in the market for a new phone, I wait until a new model is announced, then by LAST year's model, typically at a greatly reduced price. Smart phones, are "good enough". All they do now is increase the speed of the CPU, not needed, increase the brightness of the screen, not needed, cover the back with glass & flashy colors, that get covered up by a case to protect it, so what's the use there? Everything now is about how colorful & stylish it looks. I'd rather they go back to a plastic back case, make the d*mn thing black and be done with it.

    DennisDean L.Sorinmarco sarliDeactivated Account


  • 3
    GarethJO Oct 3, 2019 Link to comment

    $1000 for a phone that's worthless as soon as it's dropped...

    Sorinmarco sarliDeactivated Account


    • 3
      Stefan Bogaers Oct 4, 2019 Link to comment

      So don't.. simple. You also don't buy a new car tot crash it, are you?

      Dennis


  • Dean L. 34
    Dean L. Oct 3, 2019 Link to comment

    When I got my Pixel 2 I didn't pay full price for it. It was brand new and Google has updated it with most of the latest and greatest features through os updates. It has nightsight, which is the big update for Samsung and Apple phones recently. I am not a gamer so my Pixel 2 does pretty much everything I want and need. But today I saw some comparisons and examples of their deep fusion photo processing for iPhone 11 and I'm impressed almost to the point where I want a new iPhone 11 pro. Ah but I need to see if there will be any black Friday deals. Sigh....... but I don't really need it.....Sigh. just my two pfennig........

    marco sarliSorinDeactivated Account


  • 3
    RobCr Oct 3, 2019 Link to comment

    I believe most models do not have removable (easily replaceable) batteries.
    Shirley that means that they (the phones) will have a short (expensive) life ?

    DennisSorinmarco sarliDeactivated Account


    • 3
      Stefan Bogaers Oct 4, 2019 Link to comment

      Why does everything has to be easy


  • 11
    Chris Laarman Oct 3, 2019 Link to comment

    To many people, a smartphone is (just) a phone. To me, it's a small tablet that doubles as a phone.
    When I want such a cutting-edge computer, I must be willing to bleed.

    Dean L.SorinDeactivated Account

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