4 ms·

Please do realize 200$ is quite a lot of money for many people.

by consp 5y ago

sithadmin 5y ago
It's 2-3 days' labor at California's minimum wage (allowing for 'take home' pay being reduced by taxes, etc). That still might be a significant cost to many, but it's not unaffordable and is a pretty good value proposition given the utility and entertainment one gets from a mobile device.
- basisword 5y ago
  If you already labour every day and can just about afford bills, rent, and food (which is the case for a lot of people) then 2-3 days labour is completely unaffordable. They’re just getting by and can’t do anymore.
- ygjb 5y ago
  2-3 days labour to buy an outdated device that will stop receiving updates most likely in 2022. Sounds alot like Captain Vimes' boots theory of socioeconomic unfairness. Some people are just too poor to be able to buy a pair of good boots.
  - throwaway946513 5y ago
    While you're not wrong about the complaint for the price and the age of the device. The iPhone 6s is still receiving update, though it may not be long for this world, the iPhone 7 and 8 are still one and two years newer than said 6s - as such would likely receive updates a year and two years additional. That would put the iPhone 8 End-of-Life at 2024. That's 2 years out, and the 6s hasn't even finished receiving updates, so closer to 3 years out.
comprev 5y ago
This is HN and the demographic might not even register $200 as "quite a lot".
francisofascii 5y ago
Sure, but that cost pales in comparison to healthcare and housing costs.
zamadatix 5y ago
I don't think it's about "is $<x> a lot of money": > According to 2020 numbers from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, those in the lowest 20 percent of income earners spent $150 more a year on their cell phones than they did in 2016. I spend $180/y for unlimited talk/text with 5 GB data per month using Verizon's network through US Mobile. It's a prepaid monthly plan, no credit, no contract. You also have the option to use T-Mobile's GSM network if your existing phone is incompatible or coverage is better in your area. For phones there are plenty of options in the $200 range, both used like GP mentions and new. On the new side I recently picked up 2 Galaxy A12 for the niece/nephew, $170 each. They started on Android 10 but have gotten 11 and are due to get 12 year (and a few patches after that but not likely 13). So for <$240 a year folks should be able to be connected to decent new phones and service yet in the last 4 years people in the lowest 20% income bracket have been led to spend 2/3 of that more in addition to what they were already paying. I'm not sure where the exact numbers are in the linked source but I'd be curious if these folks are being led to spend more than I am on my high end phone and phone plan. For that price these folks are getting a lot of value and I don't think that's a problem in itself more than fulfilling any other modern life need is a problem for low income folks. I think the real problem is a combination of predatory tactics from the market as described in the article and lack of knowledge of alternatives amongst low income people. It's hard to learn where you can get a quality phone and plan when you don't have internet and the local T-Mobile store's $0 up front plan is the only way you will have a phone for work next week.
midhhhthrow 5y ago
I’m on a iPhone 7 with a cracked screen. You could probably get that on eBay for less than 70$. And everything still works. Just gotta be a bit mindful when swiping And don’t use the dang thing too much

Please do realize 200$ is quite a lot of money for many people.

by consp 5y ago

Please do realize 200$ is quite a lot of money for many people.

It's 2-3 days' labor at California's minimum wage (allowing for 'take home' pay being reduced by taxes, etc). That still might be a significant cost to many, but it's not unaffordable and is a pretty good value proposition given the utility and entertainment one gets from a mobile device.

basisword 5y ago
If you already labour every day and can just about afford bills, rent, and food (which is the case for a lot of people) then 2-3 days labour is completely unaffordable. They’re just getting by and can’t do anymore.
ygjb 5y ago
2-3 days labour to buy an outdated device that will stop receiving updates most likely in 2022. Sounds alot like Captain Vimes' boots theory of socioeconomic unfairness. Some people are just too poor to be able to buy a pair of good boots.
- throwaway946513 5y ago
  While you're not wrong about the complaint for the price and the age of the device. The iPhone 6s is still receiving update, though it may not be long for this world, the iPhone 7 and 8 are still one and two years newer than said 6s - as such would likely receive updates a year and two years additional. That would put the iPhone 8 End-of-Life at 2024. That's 2 years out, and the 6s hasn't even finished receiving updates, so closer to 3 years out.

comprev 5y ago

This is HN and the demographic might not even register $200 as "quite a lot".

francisofascii 5y ago

Sure, but that cost pales in comparison to healthcare and housing costs.

zamadatix 5y ago

I don't think it's about "is $<x> a lot of money": > According to 2020 numbers from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, those in the lowest 20 percent of income earners spent $150 more a year on their cell phones than they did in 2016. I spend $180/y for unlimited talk/text with 5 GB data per month using Verizon's network through US Mobile. It's a prepaid monthly plan, no credit, no contract. You also have the option to use T-Mobile's GSM network if your existing phone is incompatible or coverage is better in your area. For phones there are plenty of options in the $200 range, both used like GP mentions and new. On the new side I recently picked up 2 Galaxy A12 for the niece/nephew, $170 each. They started on Android 10 but have gotten 11 and are due to get 12 year (and a few patches after that but not likely 13). So for <$240 a year folks should be able to be connected to decent new phones and service yet in the last 4 years people in the lowest 20% income bracket have been led to spend 2/3 of that more in addition to what they were already paying. I'm not sure where the exact numbers are in the linked source but I'd be curious if these folks are being led to spend more than I am on my high end phone and phone plan. For that price these folks are getting a lot of value and I don't think that's a problem in itself more than fulfilling any other modern life need is a problem for low income folks. I think the real problem is a combination of predatory tactics from the market as described in the article and lack of knowledge of alternatives amongst low income people. It's hard to learn where you can get a quality phone and plan when you don't have internet and the local T-Mobile store's $0 up front plan is the only way you will have a phone for work next week.

midhhhthrow 5y ago

I’m on a iPhone 7 with a cracked screen. You could probably get that on eBay for less than 70$. And everything still works. Just gotta be a bit mindful when swiping And don’t use the dang thing too much