We are all, in one way or another, partially addicted to technology. Some see it as a way to stay in touch with their loved ones, others use it as tools for education, research, and information sharing but most of us see it as a business model. Technological advancements always brought new gadgets and tools to our society but they always came with a price tag. Today, we want to explore a different possibility. What if, when the first iPhone came out, you bought Apple stocks instead of their product. Maybe you spent some time finding the best forex trading app for beginners, learned everything there is about stocks and trading, and started investing instead of spending.
Here are some calculations that will hopefully change the way you look at tech products:
iPad release
The first iPad was released on April 3, 2010, and the initial price of this device was $499. If you diverted that amount to Apple stocks, they would approximately be worth about $3,000 today. And this is not an isolated case.
First iPhone
- Release date – June 29, 2007
- Initial price – $499
- Stock value today, if bought at that time – $13,392
- Profit – 2,583%
First MacBook
- Release date – May 16, 2006
- Initial price – $1,099
- Stock value today, if bought at that time – $55,986
- Profit – 4,994%
Mac Mini
- Release date – January 22, 2005
- Initial price – $499
- Stock value today, if bought at that time – $53,892
- Profit – 10,700%
iPod
- Release date – October 23, 2001
- Initial price – $399
- Stock value today, if bought at that time – $137,900
- Profit – 34,461%
iMac
- Release date – August 15, 1998
- Initial price – $1,299
- Stock value today, if bought at that time – $420,800
- Profit – 32294%
Macintosh
- Release date – January 24, 1984
- Initial price – $2,495
- Stock value today, if bought at that time – $2,450,000
- Profit – 98,096%
Even the release of the iPhone11 follows this model. It was released on September 20, 2019, with a starting price of $699. If you bought Apple stocks instead of the iPhone at the same time, those would be worth approximately $1350 which is almost a 100% return on investment.
It is fascinating to look back and hate yourself when you see these returns but it is also a good thing to ask yourself would you be willing to hold on to your stocks for such a long period of time. Another question that comes to mind is how well would you be informed if you didn’t actually use the product but invested in the stock of the company instead?
Many believe that there is a silver lining to all of this. Taking things to the extreme and picking only one of the two possible choices, probably won’t be beneficial for you in the long run. Instead, if you really want to buy the product, do so. Test the limits of the product, explore many functionalities that come with it, and see where all of this is headed. If you see a bright future for the brand behind the device, consider investing a bit in their stock. This way, you aren’t only supporting the business as a consumer, but also profiting from their success. Rather than taking a single route, explore both possibilities and invest a bit in an idea you believe in.
If we all become consumers, there is only one entity profiting on the other end, If we all become investors there will be no one to buy the product and the stock value will only be based on speculation. As always, there is a middle ground to be found. Don’t miss out on it.