These figures include just about everything you’d need to run your iPhone 5 for a two-year contract save for the electricity to charge it. It includes a standard case, connections and adapters, the actual phone contract, etc. The minimum price, according to this chart, is just over $1800.
Let’s examine how they came to that price. They went with all the cheapest options. They chose the cheapest iPhone, the 16GB version, added on a case, car charger, stereo dock, an armband, and the cheapest plan, a pay-as-you go one. I understand the cheapest iPhone 5 and the case, and even the car charger, but I don’t see the stereo dock and armband as necessities. And why would anyone even consider a pay-as-you-go contract for an iPhone? That can’t be very cost-effective.
As far as the phone contract, most cost you that same type of price. Data plans and 4G LTE cost no matter which smart phones are using them. When my husband recently upgraded from an old slide phone, the iPhone 3GS was the one that cost the least to add on to our contract. We have an existing family data plan (a necessity with two teenagers!), and no matter what smart phone he bought, they would be adding on to our monthly bill. The iPhone was the cheapest at $20.
And for that matter, you’d be buying a case, a car charger, etc., for whatever phone you bought. The main difference then is that entrance price, and that isn’t kept very hidden. So shouldn’t this instead be the hidden costs of owning a smart phone?
