Today’s phones are cheap. Even expensive phones are cheaper than their wireless service contracts in the US. A good rule of thumb is they depreciate about 50%

Today’s phones are cheap. Even expensive phones are cheaper than their wireless service contracts in the US. A good rule of thumb is they depreciate about 50% in their first two years (at least for iPhones). That means your $800 phone is costing you less than $20/month: A $1400 phone less than $30/month. Right now I’m paying over $40/month each for service for four phones right now.