When I was in the third grade, I got my first cell phone. To me, it didn’t mean much as it was just a way for me to communicate with my mom in case of an emergency. To everyone else, however, it was much more than that.
At the time, having a phone at that young of an age was somewhat of a status symbol. Many of my classmates didn’t have phones and they thought my phone was the coolest thing ever.
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The new iPhone X will cost an astonishing $999. Photo via Pixabay.[/caption]
I don’t remember the exact price of my first phone, but I know it wasn’t anything special, so it had to be relatively cheap. As the years went on, my classmates would get their first cell phones and with each passing year, they became increasingly more expensive.
Fast forward to 2017 and cell phone prices are at an all-time ridiculous high. Apple recently had their September event where they introduce any new products, such as new iPhones. Along with releasing new products, they also announce price cuts of their older models.
The iPhone SE, which is the smallest iPhone out there, costs $349 at the lowest. The prices only get crazier throughout the models, as their brand new model, the iPhone X, tops out at $999.
In a society where phones have become not so much a necessity, but something that many people consider important to their daily lives, these prices are eye-popping.
Do you have to purchase an iPhone? No, there are other, cheaper options out there. However, the iPhone is arguably the most efficient mobile device on the market, making it the top option for many people.
As someone who is constantly on their phone not only to keep in touch with my friends and family, but also for work purposes as well, my phone has become my most important possession.
What happens to the person who desperately needs an iPhone for the same reasons, but can’t afford one because of the ridiculous prices?
Apple won’t drop their prices no matter what, so this will continue to be an ongoing predicament for many. Their only choice will be to get the cheaper phone, but they will not be getting the best product on the market.
As for the nine-year-old kid who got his first phone back in the third grade, I can guarantee you that if my mom walked into the Apple store and saw that the cheapest phone was $349, she would’ve walked out as fast as she came in.
Tyler Calvaruso is a sophomore journalism major from Howell, N.J. He can be reached at tyler.calvaruso@student.shu.edu and on twitter at @tyler_calvaruso.
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