As the company Apple has made more and more products, they have created a system in which they can work harmoniously with each other. In this modern age, the price to achieve this whole ecosystem is too expensive for many. This has led to the question in which I will be exploring today. How expensive is the Apple ecosystem?
Apple has changed from the most advanced smartphone to a status symbol. In this current day and age owning an android can lead to stigma from friends. Some say they receive worse treatment from their classmates because of their phone choice.
One classmate, Gabriella Volpe, has stated that owning an android was a double-edged sword. She exactly states,”Sometimes it feels good to have an android but most of the time I don’t like having one.”
The majority of people in the US are iPhone users according to a statista study. This is how students receive stigma for owning an Android. An Android can be described as a smartphone that is not from Apple, but rather from other companies like Samsung and OnePlus with a wide range of phones currently on the market running Android OS. As someone who has had the whole ecosystem your confidence is uplifted. You feel special because This leads back to the question, how expensive is the Apple ecosystem?
First let’s start with the basics. The most notable item being the iPhone. The newest iPhones can range from around $799 to $1200 before customization. This price is huge but not final. Other sources can list refurbished phones, phones once owned but fixed up and cleaned, that are less than this. A $1000 dollar iPhone from two years ago now costs less than the cheapest new model iPhone. This being at around $500 dollars. This is listed on Amazon and which has a 30 day return policy. Buying this phone from Amazon would allow you to be able to use these luxury features without the luxury price.
Next, the iPad is one of the most iconic pieces of technology made by Apple. This piece of technology is $329 at the cheapest price. The cheapest iPad can be shown refurbished on amazon for under $200 dollars. A more modern iPad goes for $599 new. On Amazon it is $379. This is a huge drop in price between the two products and can make it easier for you to finally buy an iPad.
Thirdly, the newest base model, the Apple Watch, is another good item which starts at $399. On Amazon, a one year old base model Apple Watch is at $294. This isn’t as huge of a discount because of the Apple Watch not costing as much as the iPhone or Mac.
Fourthly, the Mac or Macbook is next. These devices are immensely powerful and are integral for a cohesive ecosystem. A base model macbook goes for $999. A base model mac is $1299. Refurbished, a nicer model is $879. This is past the base and is a few steps up which would start around $1100 new. A refurbished model mac would start around $841. This is from a year ago, but it has plenty of features the new one has and doesn’t look different. These may not seem like major price drops, but these refurbished machines are better specced than the new ones a few hundred more in price.
Finally, the Airpods. These start around $150 base. You could get them refurbished, but this means someone else wore them. They go for $85. I would personally recommend waiting for a sale to buy them new, but if you’re okay with them preowned, then this is a good deal. They are deep cleaned and fixed if there are any issues.
All together this leads us to a price of around $2,137. This is still high but could definitely get lowered under the $1000 dollar mark if you are ok with older products, or already possess some of them. A fully new line up would be $3,500+ depending on what variations you buy. Overall it can be steep, but not unachievable.
