Why are console prices an issue when phones cost so much? And you replace them every 2-3 years.

[Holundrian]

Also is the majority of people actually replacing their phones that frequently? I really doubt that. I feel a majority of people use their phones until they break *shrug*. Also the majority of the market aren't absurdly expensive phones.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

I don't have to wait for a year after launch for my phone to be a daily use item.

 

[NekoNeko]

You really need to be the hardcore-est of the hardcore gamers if you think a game console offers even a fraction of the functionality a (cheap, even) phone offers.

Click to shrink...

that's true but $300 phones can literally do everything and they are great but i still see a ton of people going for the $800-$1200 phones.

 

[Hydeus]

Because with my phone I can do everything everywhere?

 

[karnage10]

1000 dollars was hyperbole for effect.
This thread is about phones that cost more than consoles....rather the fact that at 500 dollar people seem to go "NOPE" to consoles.....but a 700 dollar phone seems reasonable for people.

Read the OP.

Click to shrink...

Like i said in my post its is a rarity for people to buy phones above 600€ with by far the most phones being bought around the 250-300€ range. if 700 was reasonable shouldn't the median be closer to 700?

 

[Cookie]

1000 dollars was hyperbole for effect.
This thread is about phones that cost more than consoles....rather the fact that at 500 dollar people seem to go "NOPE" to consoles.....but a 700 dollar phone seems reasonable for people.

Read the OP.

Click to shrink...

Perhaps you should heed your own advice, even the OP only mentions "$500+" and "$600" phones.

 

[bangai-o]

Posters are making lot of excuses for their phones in this thread.

 

[CanUKlehead]

Maybe my observations are wrong, but lately I seen people make statements like "x phone is affordable" when it costs $600. But people have problems when a console is $500? Is the utility of the phone seen as more valuable and thus the price is less of an issue? Or is it because people make monthly payments included in their bill that allows them to over look the cost? Or could it be that the market is so expensive now that a $500+ phone is seen as a reasonable price?

I don't care if the two aren't necessarily related, I'm more so interested in looking at the perception of value.

Spoiler

inb4 gamers are cheap

Click to shrink...

I spent £120 in 2017 to buy a phone and continue my £30/mth phone plan I've had for 6 years (the last time i got a phone subsidized). So let me start with saying that personally, your premise of an $800 phone every couple of years already doesn't work with me. It does everything i want a phone to do, I'm not spending more than that. Plus i get pretty much unlimited entertainment via YouTube and free apps vs spending £40 on a game from time to time.

So in that first year, £120 + £30x12 months = £480. Then £360 a year after that.
So let's say in 2 years, I pay a total of £840 for my phone.

If we're looking at value, I'll take that over a new console next year plus games and maybr a sub over a two year period.

Consoles are a luxury to me. Hell, I want to start winding down my expensive gaming spending if anything, so no, I don't see the value anymore on a $500 console either.

So for me, $800 every couple of years is pricey, but i get so much more out of it than a console.

 

[hussien-11]

It's not a perception of value, it's a reality of value. Your phone does infinitely more things than your console does, so spending $800 is absolutely worth it.

Click to shrink...

Do you use those... infinite more things?
I don't really think so.

It is just a perception to me, that this phone is a "necessity" because you use it to make calls and connect to others, but those gaming systems are... a luxury for entertainment

A phone is not too costly to make, not different than a gaming console and sometimes even cheaper while still costing more, and at heart it is just a computer device, exactly like what a console is, but it is engineered to meet its purpose.

 

[Black_Stride]

Perhaps you should heed your own advice, even the OP only mentions "$500+" and "$600" phones.

Click to shrink...

Okay ill edit my post and put a 6 instead of 7.
My point still stands...or is that the limit of your argument?

 

[Leo]

I keep my phones for about as much time as a console's life cycle, and am generally willing to pay more for consoles than for phones.

 

[Jimnymebob]

Yeah, I spend like £250 at max for a phone, and I only replace when they start to fail, which is usually after 2 years (which is bs in itself).
This is ore a case of phones being comically overpriced solely because of branding/it being a fashion accessory basically.
Your average user of a phone will:
Use message apps
Use a music streaming service
Play candy crush
Take photos for Instagram
Watch YT vids
Not be able to tell the difference between screen resolution etc. Other than 'it looks nicer'.

You can do all that easily on a phone a quarter of the price of a Samsung/iPhone. With a console, except for the Pro Models this gen, you have a console per gen, so lets say 7 years on average, and other than form factor and slight changes, you don't gain anything else when you upgrade. With a phone, you get such a quick upgrade of tech that anything over 3 years is kinda obsolete, tech wise.

Also, people (kids) won't bully you if you've got a PS4 from launch. If you go into school with a phone from 2014 though...

 

[ShapeDePapa]

Let me buy your 600$ super console with a plan over 2 years and I won't complain. I'm not paying almost 800$ upfront for a game and a new console.

 

[Jakisthe]

Man if you think phones are bad, just wait 'til you see what people pay for cars!

 

[lunanto]

Are we reached the point in which we ask for paying more? Companies must be really happy with us.

 

[Sprat]

Well a good number of people also upgraded their console after 3 years this generation and probably will next too.

Personally I haven't paid for a phone since 2004 I get them as an employment perk every two years.

 

[Sprat]

Man if you think phones are bad, just wait 'til you see what people pay for cars!

Click to shrink...

That is true one of my friends gets a brand new car every 5 years or so.

Can't fault him though he earns enough and loves cars.

 

[Naxat]

Could always get on a XAA plan.....spend very very little on games because of Gamepass.

That includes a chance to upgrade to scarlett.
If you get an XB1S or XB1AD its even cheaper.

Click to shrink...

That's something new , that recently introduced and only ms is doing it plus I don't know where is it available, is it only us and 2 -3 others countries? But yes it is a good alternative of the common way of buying consoles.

 

[Cookie]

Okay ill edit my post and put a 6 instead of 7.
My point still stands...or is that the limit of your argument?

Click to shrink...

Do you have a point? You've said nobody can justify buying a $1000 phone, a $700 phone and now a $600 phone.

I think you'll find that I, and others, have refuted that point already. I'll quote it again in case you forgot:

Just because you can't justify it doesn't mean other people can't justify it.

Click to shrink...

Everything you've said since has been semantics over whether or not you actually meant what you said.

 

[MysticGon]

Phones and tablets.

Gamers hate change and the promise of consoles has always been making gaming more affordable compared to buying an expensive arcade or PC.

 

[UltimateHigh]

I don't have a problem with it, and also fuck paying an obscene amount for a phone. a cheap phone does every thing I need.


I want a beast of a console out of the gate that will not be suffering severe performances issues or in need of a midgen "refresh" a few years in.

 

[Pankratous]

Yeah, it's absolutely baffling.

 

[Artdayne]

I've had the same phone for the past six years.

 

[Deleted member 49535]

A lot of the responses in this thread completely miss the point.

"Why do you need a golden watch?"
"Because I need to know what time it is!"

 

[leng jai]

People basically live on their phones now, and they get them on payment plans which includes data and calls. The majority aren't rushing out to pay $1k outright on one.

 

[Thera]

There are a lot who don't buy smartphones flagships.
People who buy flagships aren't necessarily gamers.
A lots of gamers are young and don't.have money.
The console market is world wide
Consoles needs to be affordable to be a present gift at Christmas / birthday.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

So... is the iphone 11 worth it? My 6S+ is at least 4 years out and keeps crashing when I play Teppen

I also want to finally try out Honkai Impact

 

[Phil me in]

Personally I find people who have the latest iPhone only to buy out of their contract for the newest iPhone which is slightly faster, with slightly a better camera to be idiots. and it's those idiots that do this, is partially why phones are so expensive.

What's an iPhone 8 doing compared to a 7? Not much.

 

[Oticon]

I get a new phone every year, I am on the iPhone upgrade program. It's worth it for me to have a flagship phone because I spend on average about 6 hours on it daily so if I am spending that much time on a device why compromise on it and get something cheap that may cause me headaches down the line? I use my phone for:

- GPS
- Browsing the internet
- playing games
- YouTube, Netflix etc.
- Electronic drug references for work.
- Communication (Phone calls, emails, texts etc.)
- photography/Videos
- listening to music
- reading
- and much more.

I use my PS4 and Switch to play exclusive games that may interest me. So at max that's like 20-30 hours every couple of months? This makes the high cost of a flagship phone which I use pretty much all the time justifiable when compared to a console which I use once in a while.

 

[MattHeus]

Consoles are seen as a luxury entertainmet toy, cellphones offer way more than what consoles can offer...

 

[Jakke_Koala]

I wouldn't mind paying 600€ for a console i buy every 7 years or something.

On the other hand i only payed 80€ for my last smartphone and been using a dumbphone since that one broke down.
I don't understand the "necessitiy" to have a smartphone

 

[Deleted member 10726]

1. I paid 169€ for my current phone.
2. I replace my phone only when my current one is incapable of making calls/texts.
3. Even then, I get far more value out of my phone than I'd ever get out of a console. Just like PCs, their capabilities are beyond playing games and media playback, which makes them far more valuable to me.

 

[Curufinwe]

Consoles aren't phones.

 

[Glio]

Also, when you are paying 1000 dollars on a mobile phone it enters the same area as when you buy an expensive watch, it is largely done by status.

Buying a console does not give you status.

 

[modiz]

The argument of "phones are not luxury" doesnt really stand when phone companies market them as "more than you need", you could buy a cheap phone that handles all the functionality that is considered a necessity.
But it all really comes down to people valuing the high end phones more than they value high end consoles.

 

[Vire]

My cell phone helps put food on the table. Using it for work daily, stock trading, research on the go etc. It helps me to get from point a to point b, it allows me to save beautiful memories when traveling.

A console let's me play video games for 15 hours a month or so. That's the only purpose it serves.

I also only need one phone, I need 3 different consoles. So we are really talking 1500 or so. I did it this gen and I'll probably do it again next one...

 

[D.Lo]

The term 'phone' is a complete misnomer post-iPhone.

The all-in-one pocket computing and communication device evolved from mobile phones and uses telcos for connectivity, but is now most people's mail, email, online chat, address book, GPS, online store, music player, movie player, credit card, magazine, recipe book etc.

 

[Roshin]

Man if you think phones are bad, just wait 'til you see what people pay for cars!

Click to shrink...

I was just thinking that.

Do you really need that expensive new car, when a cheap used one works just fine? Hell, do you even need a car or will a rusty old bike serve your needs? Also, clothes, food, etc.

 

[Chackan]

A few reasons:

- People don't pay it upfront, and so they don't think of it as $600, they think of it as an extra $20 a month for the next couple years.

Click to shrink...

actually it depends on where you live. In here (Portugal) those plans are either limited or still cost an entry price (like 200€ + 20€/month).

usually it's pay full price

 

[Dre3001]

I think the whole "person spends $1000 every year upgrading phones" is a stereotype that is far off from reality.

The majority of people buy a phone and keep it for years before upgrading. Even with that, phone costs now are usually split over a number of months depending on where you live and the carriers available.

But to answer the question. A smartphone is seen more as a necessity rather than a game console.

 

[itchi]

Because phones are fashion accessories

 

[Sid]

Because phones are essential and they are increasingly becoming more of a status symbol

 

[astro]

The main reason, as everyone has stated, is because phones are almost always bought on contract and you don't have to pay the full lot upfront.

And phones are used for so many things that a responsive phone is desired, especially if you use it for work purposes.

 

[Trigger]

It's a lot easier to justify spending more money overtime for a cellphone. A $600+ cellphone doesn't feel like a lot when you are only paying something like $30 a month on your plan. I don't really have the same option for most consoles. A console purchase is usually done all at once.

 

[Deleted member 9486]

Neither are an issue for me as I make decent money and use both a ton.

People on tight budgets who struggle to afford consoles they often aren't owning flagship phones or upgrading every 2-3 year.

As others note, most people are using their phones way more often and for way more things than they do their consoles, couldn't do/keep their jobs with oth the constant phone/test/email availability etc.

 

[Spork4000]

I understand the necessity, but the range of "affordable" phones (based on the discussion I've seen) is so big.

Click to shrink...

"Affordible" isn't the same as "budget" which isn't the same as "cheap" and all of those are relative to an individual's income.

A $300 phone is cheap but no one should buy it if they can afford more, 600-800 is about what you should spend depending on operating system you like and what you find value in. Anything above that is pure excess and no one should spend that.

Honestly you can think of consoles as the "cheap phone" equivalent of gaming devices. If you want a much nicer gaming experience there's PC and that can quickly overtake phones in cost.

 

[Palette Swap]

Yes, utility completely changes the value of a phone compared to a console. I spend way more time on a phone over the day than I ever will on a console, and so do most people.

Because phones are fashion accessories

Click to shrink...

You nailed it. People spend hours a day on fashion accessories.

 

[Bosch]

For this model is much better to have a pc than a console.

 

[Deleted member 37917]

That's a strange title. I replace my phone every 5 years in average (the one I have is my second smartphone only) and I never buy phones that cost more than 200 Euros. And also, my phone is far more useful than any console that I own so there's that...

 

[Spork4000]

Because phones are fashion accessories

Click to shrink...

I only seem to hear this from two kinds of people.

A. Only ever used budget phones
B. Never used budget phones

I've been on both sides of the spectrum, flagship phones are expensive, but they have their reasons.