The iPhone SE 2020 basically just killed the Pixel 4a and other value flagships...

[customshopkv1]

They are getting ridiculous. The value in these high priced phones just isn’t there, in my opinion.

Its not, but I find myself wanting the biggest, fanciest and "latest/greatest" device and have become accustomed to basically leasing my phones for $50-$60 a month. Maybe I'll actually keep this phone for 2 years, but who am I kidding.

My son hates his monthly cell phone payment, it's an XS Max and will be paid off in December. He's considering the SE2020 and paying the XS off and selling it.

 

[anon(50597)]

Its not, but I find myself wanting the biggest, fanciest and "latest/greatest" device and have become accustomed to basically leasing my phones for $50-$60 a month. Maybe I'll actually keep this phone for 2 years, but who am I kidding.

My son hates his monthly cell phone payment, it's an XS Max and will be paid off in December. He's considering the SE2020 and paying the XS off and selling it.

I won't make payments on a cell phone, but thats me. I think it gives people a false sense of value. What's another $50 monthly payment, right?

I just have found that phones really don't improve yearly. A mid-range phone does what if needs to do for me. But, we're all different and it's good there is choice.

 

[vzwuser76]

I won't make payments on a cell phone, but thats me. I think it gives people a false sense of value. What's another $50 monthly payment, right?

I just have found that phones really don't improve yearly. A mid-range phone does what if needs to do for me. But, we're all different and it's good there is choice.

I don't need to use payment plans, but I do. If it had interest tacked on or something that limited when I can upgrade, then I wouldn't. But if it's not costing me anymore, then I'll make use of it.

But I won't do offers with bill credits. IMHO it's just a sneaky way of reintroducing 2 year contracts without calling them that. To get the full discount, you're locked in for 24 months, if you want to pay it off early, you forfeit any remaining bill credits. In that way, it's actually worse than the old 2 year contracts. With them you could pay it off early without loss of the discount since that was applied up front. So you could upgrade whenever you wanted without taking a hit. Now you can only do so after the 24 months period ends. But the reason they ended up doing so was partly because there were some people who were gaming the system and getting the discount without honoring the contract, and now we're paying the price.

 

[anon(50597)]

I don't need to use payment plans, but I do. If it had interest tacked on or something that limited when I can upgrade, then I wouldn't. But if it's not costing me anymore, then I'll make use of it.

But I won't do offers with bill credits. IMHO it's just a sneaky way of reintroducing 2 year contracts without calling them that. To get the full discount, you're locked in for 24 months, if you want to pay it off early, you forfeit any remaining bill credits. In that way, it's actually worse than the old 2 year contracts. With them you could pay it off early without loss of the discount since that was applied up front. So you could upgrade whenever you wanted without taking a hit. Now you can only do so after the 24 months period ends. But the reason they ended up doing so was partly because there were some people who were gaming the system and getting the discount without honoring the contract, and now we're paying the price.

I think there are people like you who have the money but choose the payment plan. I worry about the ones who don’t. We live in a society where people want things even if they can’t afford them. $50 a month doesn’t sound like a lot compared to $1400. It fools us into thinking it’s affordable. Credit card debt is out of control, at least in the U.S.

 

[vzwuser76]

I think there are people like you who have the money but choose the payment plan. I worry about the ones who don’t. We live in a society where people want things even if they can’t afford them. $50 a month doesn’t sound like a lot compared to $1400. It fools us into thinking it’s affordable. Credit card debt is out of control, at least in the U.S.

I get that. The only thing I actually have to put on a payment plan is vehicles. And while I probably could pay off the balance after trade in, that's a bit much.

There are a lot of people out there who are living paycheck to paycheck, just scraping by, but have a top of the line smartphone. Not that I'm telling anyone what to do with their money, but it just seems a bit irresponsible to me, especially when in most cases the performance difference between a midrange and flagship is a second or two in accomplishing the same task. Just a few years ago the gap between the two was quite a bit wider, but now not so much. One of the reasons I'm going with the 4a.

 

[Morty2264]

I get that. The only thing I actually have to put on a payment plan is vehicles. And while I probably could pay off the balance after trade in, that's a bit much.

There are a lot of people out there who are living paycheck to paycheck, just scraping by, but have a top of the line smartphone. Not that I'm telling anyone what to do with their money, but it just seems a bit irresponsible to me, especially when in most cases the performance difference between a midrange and flagship is a second or two in accomplishing the same task. Just a few years ago the gap between the two was quite a bit wider, but now not so much. One of the reasons I'm going with the 4a.

I agree with you about the gap between flagship and mid-range devices getting increasingly smaller and smaller. I may even look at a mid-range phone for my next purchase - especially if the Google Pixel 5 goes that route.

 

[eve6er69]

I bought a iPhone 11 on launch day because the low light camera had me. I was using a 6S and if I had waited and known this would have come out I would have bought the SE. I love the form factor of that size device and that price is almost unbeatable.

 

[vzwuser76]

Well, I bit the bullet and picked up an iPad Mini. My Dad's older brother is in a nursing home and the only way to get ahold of him is with FaceTime. His kids got him an iPad so they could keep in touch with him. But after the virus took effect, they moved him to a more isolated room that doesn't have a landline (and he doesn't have a cell phone).

I'd mentioned to my uncle's family (pre-virus) that they could set up Duo on it and then my Dad could use one of my Android devices to contact him. But that never happened and now no one can download and setup Duo up for him and show him how to use it. I guess it's fine as we'll also be able to use it contact other relatives as well. The only sticking point is my Dad not a fan of video chat.

On the iPad, so far it hasn't been a happy time for me setting it up & using it. I thought maybe it would be different because my previous experiences with iOS was short intervals on holidays. But more time with it hasn't really chamged my opinion of iOS. Maybe if it had been the first OS I'd been exposed to it'd be different, but as it is it isn't, IMHO, as intuitive as they claim. If it weren't for FaceTime and my Dad being able to connect to relatives, it'd be returned.

Now don't get me wrong, the hardware seems great and the battery (standby in particular) is excellent, it's just iOS I have a problem with. However, for those who do like iOS, I'm sure it's a great device.

 

[Morty2264]

I bought a iPhone 11 on launch day because the low light camera had me. I was using a 6S and if I had waited and known this would have come out I would have bought the SE. I love the form factor of that size device and that price is almost unbeatable.

The iPhone 11 does take really good pictures! What colour did you get?

 

[eve6er69]

The iPhone 11 does take really good pictures! What colour did you get?

I got the 256 mint green. I love the color!

 

[Ry]

I won't make payments on a cell phone, but thats me. I think it gives people a false sense of value. What's another $50 monthly payment, right?

I just have found that phones really don't improve yearly. A mid-range phone does what if needs to do for me. But, we're all different and it's good there is choice.

It's weird though. Even if you have the money now, if you get straight up 0% financing, it still makes sense to make payments rather than spend all your money at once if we're talking about savings interest.

 

[Mike Dee]

It's weird though. Even if you have the money now, if you get straight up 0% financing, it still makes sense to make payments rather than spend all your money at once if we're talking about savings interest.

Though it might make sense for some to make payments I don't think we are talking a windfall of interest.

 

[Ry]

Though it might make sense for some to make payments I don't think we are talking a windfall of interest.

of course. but you'll still end up with more money if you do payments. i mean it's like 50 cents. but it's 50 cents you didn't have before...

 

[Mike Dee]

of course. but you'll still end up with more money if you do payments. i mean it's like 50 cents. but it's 50 cents you didn't have before...

You might also pay less because of inflation, but its just not the reasons I'd make payments. I think payments simply make it easier to swing the purchase for those who can't pony up full price.

 

[anon(50597)]

Though it might make sense for some to make payments I don't think we are talking a windfall of interest.

I agree. You’re not going to get rich on it. I can’t be bothered with another payment. I enjoy the freedom of knowing things I own are paid for.

 

[Morty2264]

I got the 256 mint green. I love the color!

That is one slick colour! I must admit that the iPhone 11 line has a vast and eye-catching array of colours.

 

[osxholunman]

A13 cpu maybe the fastest in the moment, but wait for a few months, i promise tim cant wait to slow down the cpu, they did this every year so that the user need to buy the same boring lphone again

 

[Ry]

A13 cpu maybe the fastest in the moment, but wait for a few months, i promise tim cant wait to slow down the cpu, they did this every year so that the user need to buy the same boring lphone again

...it only slows down if the battery is under a certain threshold so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[anon(50597)]

A13 cpu maybe the fastest in the moment, but wait for a few months, i promise tim cant wait to slow down the cpu, they did this every year so that the user need to buy the same boring lphone again

Let’s be more truthful.
No, the cpu won’t slow down in a few months. A few years maybe because, if the battery power drops to a certain point, the processor slows down to compensate. They certainly weren’t open about this (bad on Apple) but their processors hum along for a very long time.

 

[the_boon]

If you're gonna buy an iPhone, I'd wait for the upcoming 12 series for one main reason...




FLAT EDGES!!!