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My take is that it's like a fashion accessory. People buy Gucci for the brand, not the material or comfort.

Rich people ask for the latest most expensive iPhone even if they're only going to use WhatsApp and Instagram on it. It's not because of privacy or functionality, it's simply to show off to everyone they can purchase it. Also to not stand out within their peers as the only one without it.

As another content said: it's not an argument, it's a fact here.



I have an iPhone so I guess I qualify as a rich person by your definition. I am also a software engineer. I cannot state enough how bogus that statement is. I've used both iPhone and Android, and recent flagships. iPhone is by far the easiest one to use. Speaking in more objective terms, iPhones have a coherent UI which maintains its consistency both throughout the OS and over the years. They're the most dumbed down phones and easiest to understand. I recommend iPhone to all my friends and relatives.

There's obviously tons of people who see iPhone as a status item. They're right, because iPhone is expensive and only the rich can buy them. This doesn't mean iPhone is not the best option out there for a person who doesn't want to extensively customize his phone and just use it.


Yes, by pure statistics you are probably rich compared to everyone else. The average software developer salary is way bigger than the average salary for the entirety of the US. Let's not even mention compared to the rest of the world.

Sure, some people pick up the iPhone because they like the specs, or the apps, or whatever else. That's why I said the majority picks it up for status, not all. But keep in mind nobody's judging the iPhone's specs or capabilities here. We're talking about why people buy it.

Ask any teenager why they want an iPhone. I'd be very surprised if even one said it's because of privacy. It's because of the stupid blue bubble, which is a proxy for status.

I'm pretty sure if Apple released the same phone again with a new name and design, people would still buy it. For the majority, it's not because of features, ease of use, specs, etc: it's status.


> iPhone and Android, and recent flagships. iPhone is by far the easiest one to use. Speaking in more objective terms, iPhones have a coherent UI

It’s not about if you’ve used android, it’s about if you’ve beeen poor-ish or stingy

To some people those are luxuries- the most expensive phone they buy is a mid-range Motorola for $300 with snapdragon 750g or whatever. They run all the same apps after all, they take photos.

iPhones are simply outside of your budget.




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