Everyone seems to have extremely expensive phones

smash

This talk of 'expensive' phones annoys me a bit. I actually don't know anyone who goes out and spends hundreds on phones. I have an iPhone 6 plus and got it for free through my mobile contract and I'm guessing that's what most people do, or they get it very cheap.

The_Valeyard

Some people are tech junkies and need to have the latest stuff

Birneybau

Billy86 wrote: »

Forgot all about mmentioning these, I've become a huge fan of podcasts since I got my new phone. Pocketcasts by the way costs about €3/4 one off payment, but is a brilliant app for them (far better than any free ones I could find). Also satnav.

Mine was €450 up front and €35 a month for 12 months but that covers unlimited internet (Well, 15 gigs I think of which I usually use 10-12) and a good few calls/texts, though I usually use WhatsApp/Viber/etc so it's not an issue so I am more than happy with that. Was doing a ton of overtime in work when I decided to get it so basically didn't notice the initial cost, thankfully.

Podcast Republic, free and great!

anncoates

cloud493 wrote: »

Cheap (or seemingly cheap) contract phones. Getting the phone 'free' for a contract of €40 a month might be more expensive than just buying the phone, but it seems cheaper. Thats how I put it in my head anyway.

Is it really hugely more expensive. Simplistic example of paying for a 600 quid phone up front and say, 20 euro a month is about 45 a month over 24 months.

Tiddlypeeps

Apps are developed for the top end phones. They are then optimised or potentially stripped down a bit to work on lower end phones. In a lot of cases they might not even bother supporting low end phones, especially on Android.

If you buy a decent mid range phone you probably won't have a problem with lack of support from developers, so high end is possibly overkill. But saying "sure the cheapest ones can do all the same things" is way over simplifying it.

Lalealea

An expensive phone is not really an expensive phone with upgrades etc.

starlit

I've noticed that too. I just don't get it updating to a new a phone every once and a while. To me is showing off. Different if you never had a smartphone before or not used one before or had a rubbish one. Maybe not used to them. You be better of waiting till special offer or get second hand. Buying brand new it have to be a very good phone and that you use for a long time. Iphones are more user friendly for those not techy but I still prefer samsung no matter what people say about the iphone.

I prefer to stick with my own for a few years. Don't fix or replace something if it ain't broke. I learnt my lesson a few years ago. Buy a new one doesn't last then have to buy another one and then it lasts for years. Some phones are better than others. Unless you on the bill pay I suppose or through work you can get a phone without much hassle but with pay as you go its still pricey like especially a smartphone. I prefer samsung to iphone but that is just me and my experience.

I think the iphones are a rip off you are paying extra for just new features. The os sytem is no different to the ipad/ipad mini. You still get similar benefits of a smartphone that's slightly cheaper than the iphone. You paying extra for things you don't need, they might be better than the samsung but samsung's features are just more user friendly I think. Iphones you pay extra for memory too. I just rather be able to increase memory of phone off my own bat and be able to take memory card in and out that's portable rather than built in.

Horselord

Samsung Coconut is GOAT

wonderfulname

I technically have an expensive phone, but its because it was free on the contract i wanted, and the phone that i wanted and was half the price sim free would have cost me 250e upfront, Samsung and apple pull a lot of deals with carriers to get their products out, i do wonder what the real value of a top end phone is.

Tiddlypeeps

wonderfulname wrote: »

i do wonder what the real value of a top end phone is.

The phone itself (as in parts) is probably only worth in the low double digits. But it'd be very difficult without access to the companies books and a decent amount of accounting knowledge even roughly what the cost of getting the phone into a persons hand is. That's everything from the R&D to come up with the phone spec and design all the way to the marketing and advertising budget. I would wager the hardware costs are the cheapest part in the whole process, but that's just a guess. I'm sure there is a decent profit margin on there too.

rosie16

I love my 'brick'. Don't want a smart phone. I had a nokia but it was stolen abroad. Picked up a techno brick for about 12 euro and I discovered it's waterproof last week Dual sim and unlocked happy days

scamalert

well i own nokia n8 forked out about 400e when it was released,just to see its price drop 3 times in a month or so at the time.But can say this it has gps,voice control all the usual office crap software,and 12mp camera,and yet 4 years later theres only hand full of phones that have such lens in them.
and only two functions besides making calls txts that were really handfull over the years was camera and free gps maps that got me to places.

Besides it being small and crappy,i would source another one once this one dies if it will,as metal casing survived so many drops and hits and yet its like new.

besides other functions they all eat data,so really no point in having fancy phone when i can use tablet or pc for important stuff.

that said my grandma had nokia 3310 for over 10years or so,so one time visiting her i asked did she still had the phone,and to my surprise she had it layed down somewhere,and found it for me,took 10 min to plug in charger and it worked like the first day,good old days of midi ringtones

that i consider quality before nokia got overun by companies who managed to make easy to use smartphones with all the apps that are really few used and even lesser phones capabilities.

that said i dont care if someone flashes their new phones,since market is moving so fast theres no point in chasing the hype,when your iphone 6 will be replaced with 7,8,9 by end of next year just to say it got a bigger screen now and is faster then one you had before

Steodonn

McGaggs wrote: »

Dropped it loads, no dents yet.

Dropped mine once on carpet and the screen broke fecker

walshyp

People fork out 700 on an Iphone 6 which has the specs of a 200 Android Phone just to say that they have an Iphone.

Cienciano

Pwindedd wrote: »

Just been looking at the reviews- looks good for the money. How would you rate battery life and general "dropability" of it?

Battery life is great for a smartphone, lots of nights I don't even charge it. Dropability is good too. Its light. Mine has loads of dents and scrapes from dropping it and it's fine.
Downside is no memory card slot but the newer one has that. And the camera isn't great. OK if you're out in the sun, anything indoors is grainy and blurry if you're not ultra careful.

Boskowski

hfallada wrote: »

If you think about it. You use your phone more than anything else in your life. You use it from the first thing in the morning to the last thing at night. You use it to communicate with most people, to watch tv and to listen to music. Its probably one of the most material possessions in your life. It makes sense to buy a fairly decent one

really?

bnt

I've got one of those €50 phones that the OP referred to, except that Acer is an established brand, not a no-name. I have no complaints about the speed of he phone itself, though it can suffer when opening pages on a slow connection. The screen is only 3.5", and I sometimes wish it was larger, but then the pocketability of the phone is what I like most about it. That said, I'm probably going to jump on a Nexus 9 tablet soon.

deBop

Personally I couldn't care less what phones people buy once it isn't illegal or any dodgy business e.g. it was stolen.

walshyp wrote: »

People fork out 700 on an Iphone 6 which has the specs of a 200 Android Phone just to say that they have an Iphone.

Wonder what €200 Android phones you've been looking at.

Fr_Dougal

deBop wrote: »

Personally I couldn't care less what phones people buy once it isn't illegal or any dodgy business e.g. it was stolen.



Wonder what €200 Android phones you've been looking at.

Probably the Motorola Moto G.

branners69

scamalert wrote: »

well i own nokia n8 forked out about 400e when it was released,just to see its price drop 3 times in a month or so at the time.But can say this it has gps,voice control all the usual office crap software,and 12mp camera,and yet 4 years later theres only hand full of phones that have such lens in them.

I have the same but bought it after the price drops!! I have gone to change it so many times but the camera in new phones is a deal breaker for me!

You also forgot to mention the built in FM transmitter, it is great in the car being able to play your music through the speakers! The GPS is handy too.

Skylinehead

smash wrote: »

This talk of 'expensive' phones annoys me a bit. I actually don't know anyone who goes out and spends hundreds on phones. I have an iPhone 6 plus and got it for free through my mobile contract and I'm guessing that's what most people do, or they get it very cheap.

If you got it free on a contract, you're still paying hundreds on the phone. They're hardly giving the thing away.

wildefalcon

branners69 wrote: »

I have the same but bought it after the price drops!! I have gone to change it so many times but the camera in new phones is a deal breaker for me!

You also forgot to mention the built in FM transmitter, it is great in the car being able to play your music through the speakers! The GPS is handy too.

I use the FM transmitter a lot too - and am reluctant to change to a phone without one.

Plus they are quite easy to repair - I've had to replace the earpiece on mine from dust damage (extreme conditions) and it's a simple enough job.

On the down side the browsers are a bit rubbish, and the screen is getting small in my eyes (or I'm getting older!!).

Joe Doe

Have a collection of cheap Samsung E1190 type phones got each new for around 10bob each.
Solely for the purpose of hotswop batteries, and making phone calls.
Txts/calls can be made for up to 3 months before batch charging them.

Anything requiring processing gets sent to the water cooled Corei7 quad or iPad.

Billy86

wildefalcon wrote: »

I use the FM transmitter a lot too - and am reluctant to change to a phone without one.

For what it's worth, there are apps that do that.

branners69

Billy86 wrote: »

For what it's worth, there are apps that do that.

But your phone would still need a FM transmitter built in to work, no? I dont know of any phone new phone that has a FM transmitter built in.

The apps may work with bluetooth but you would need a car stereo with bluetooth also built in.

walshyp

TheZohan wrote: »

Probably the Motorola Moto G.

The moto g is quad core. Better than an Iphone :pac:

Mister Vain

It's a lot of money for a phone alright. I'd be afraid I'd lose it. My own phone cost 120 euro. I should get at least 4 years out of it.

Billy86

branners69 wrote: »

But your phone would still need a FM transmitter built in to work, no? I dont know of any phone new phone that has a FM transmitter built in.

The apps may work with bluetooth but you would need a car stereo with bluetooth also built in.

Good point, couldn't be definite. Did a quick check and it would appear to run through Bluetooth, though apparently it can be linked via the cigarette lighter in older cars, and of course the connection from the tape deck which I had forgotten about.

wildefalcon

The FM transmitter is so easy - any radio, including FM Ear defenders, household radio, and car just works.

I'm debating whether to buy a new phone, but none, bar one Chinese Lenovo, have FM transmit. I may just buy a cheap android - like a cubot - and try it for a few months. A car bluetooth to FM transmitter may work, or a 3.5 jack fm transmitter could do the job.

runawaybishop

wildefalcon wrote: »

The FM transmitter is so easy - any radio, including FM Ear defenders, household radio, and car just works.

I'm debating whether to buy a new phone, but none, bar one Chinese Lenovo, have FM transmit. I may just buy a cheap android - like a cubot - and try it for a few months. A car bluetooth to FM transmitter may work, or a 3.5 jack fm transmitter could do the job.

Those lenovo phones are pretty decent.

lazeedaisy

I have a cheap phone, everyone around me has iPhone 6, Samsung whatever, and to be honest I don't give a sh it, is each to their own,

Why should it matter who has what,

wildefalcon

lazeedaisy wrote: »

I have a cheap phone, everyone around me has iPhone 6, Samsung whatever, and to be honest I don't give a sh it, is each to their own,

Why should it matter who has what,

Good for you!

I think the point Joan Brutal was trying to make was that the people complaining about the cost of water were well able to afford an expensive phone and callplan.

Perhaps she was questioning their choice of priorities.

Of course she (deliberately?) missed the point that people are really protesting about the imposition of new costs.