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The value for money you get with each device keeps going up. The update support lifetime keeps going up to the point where devices are getting 6+ years of updat

The value for money you get with each device keeps going up. The update support lifetime keeps going up to the point where devices are getting 6+ years of updates while the SoC gets further ahead of the snapdragon range every year. I have both android tablets and an iPad from 2014 and the ipad still feels like a modern device with the latest OS version while the android tablets are stuck on a 2015 build of android and feel very slow.

newbie578 6y ago
I won't dispute the state of Android tablets. You are right there, android tablets suck, iPad is a way better product, and it has a really good value for money ($350 ftw). Yes, the SoC gets improved each year, but so does their ability to manufacture, i.e. the manufacturing costs should go down, and they keep spending the same amount on R&D to innovate. Economies of scale also play its part.
- Polylactic_acid 6y ago
  It seems like the price is fixed. Apple has done the research to know exactly what price they can sell the phone for. The only variable factor is how much stuff they put in the phone. When manufacturing costs go down they add in something that was previously cut due to cost.
josephg 6y ago
I agree with this. I bought an iphone 12 this year because my iphone 6s+ is 5 years old at this point, and I wanted to spoil myself. My new phone feels basically identical to my old phone, and despite 5 years of innovation I think it was a waste of money. Most of the improvements in iphones in the last 5 years has been in software, and the 6s (for now) still gets all the updates anyway. There's some differences - low light photography is much better. My new phone is also physically smaller with the same screen size and much snappier. But its also missing a headphone jack, force touch and it can't be unlocked with a face mask. I think next time I'll keep my phone until it dies - which I'm hoping will be ~6-7 years. Given that sort of longevity, the price seems pretty reasonable.
- Polylactic_acid 6y ago
  I think phones have largely become good enough for a while now. Apple is selling less phones every year because people are holding on to them for longer. The strategy now seems to be getting users to get all the accessories / ipad as well as a phone.
  - kalleboo 6y ago
    The strategy right now is quite explicitly to get people signed up for recurring subscriptions to services (apple music, TV+, arcade, etc. Even applecare is now a subscription)

newbie578 6y ago

I won't dispute the state of Android tablets. You are right there, android tablets suck, iPad is a way better product, and it has a really good value for money ($350 ftw). Yes, the SoC gets improved each year, but so does their ability to manufacture, i.e. the manufacturing costs should go down, and they keep spending the same amount on R&D to innovate. Economies of scale also play its part.

Polylactic_acid 6y ago
It seems like the price is fixed. Apple has done the research to know exactly what price they can sell the phone for. The only variable factor is how much stuff they put in the phone. When manufacturing costs go down they add in something that was previously cut due to cost.

josephg 6y ago

I agree with this. I bought an iphone 12 this year because my iphone 6s+ is 5 years old at this point, and I wanted to spoil myself. My new phone feels basically identical to my old phone, and despite 5 years of innovation I think it was a waste of money. Most of the improvements in iphones in the last 5 years has been in software, and the 6s (for now) still gets all the updates anyway. There's some differences - low light photography is much better. My new phone is also physically smaller with the same screen size and much snappier. But its also missing a headphone jack, force touch and it can't be unlocked with a face mask. I think next time I'll keep my phone until it dies - which I'm hoping will be ~6-7 years. Given that sort of longevity, the price seems pretty reasonable.

Polylactic_acid 6y ago
I think phones have largely become good enough for a while now. Apple is selling less phones every year because people are holding on to them for longer. The strategy now seems to be getting users to get all the accessories / ipad as well as a phone.
- kalleboo 6y ago
  The strategy right now is quite explicitly to get people signed up for recurring subscriptions to services (apple music, TV+, arcade, etc. Even applecare is now a subscription)