Except that just means they'll get less subscribers. The margins on these things are razor thin. If people don't think they're getting a deal they won't sign up.
This is such a bullshit argument nowadays. There are an estimated 113 million iPhone users in the United States [1]. That's ~half of the smartphone market, and ~half of the number of adults in the US. Apple sells brand new iPhones starting at $400. Samsung sells brand new Galaxy phones at base storage starting at $1800.
Apple's best selling main-line product in 2021 was not the iPhone. Not Mac. Not the Watch or iPad. It was Airpods. Normal Airpods, not even the Pros. The cheapest product to ever be graced with a top-page tab on apple.com, Apple sells tens of millions more Airpods than iPhones. And why wouldn't they? They're cheap! Because, hate to break it, but Apple isn't a premium brand; they're just a brand.
The iPhone is about as premium a smartphone as Target is a premium store, and this notion that Apple still exclusively services the premium segment probably comes from some combination of Apple users wishing they were rich & special, and even Android users looking to play the everyman victim. None of that is valid. But it gets applied to justify Apple's unprecedented control & tax over commerce on their platform; its alright because it only impacts rich people, if you want access to the rich people you gotta charge the rich people more, and make the rich gatekeeper even richer. In reality, all it serves to do is make everyone poorer; it serves to limit affordable access to goods and services; and it makes Apple rich.
> They're cheap! Because, hate to break it, but Apple isn't a premium brand; they're just a brand.
AirPods are not cheap to the average person. You can get earbuds for under ten bucks. AirPods are a premium option for most people. AirPods being for rich people was even a popular meme for a while.
Ten dollars for headphones? United States Dollars? Who are you, Bill Gates?!
Personally; I steal a bit of copper wire from whoever had the misfortune of parking outside my box, I mean, house, then wire it up to a couple styrofoam cups I dig out of the garbage can down on the corner. With how compressed MP3s are, I doubt anyone could tell the difference. I can't imagine why anyone buys headphones, really.
Then again... Airpods & Airpods Pro are reported by many sources to be the best selling headphones of 2021... but I'm sure, in aggregate, all those wish.com $10 cans outnumber their sales... and let's also, you know, not consider the more fair comparison of aggregating Alexa Buds, Sony XM4s, Bose Buds, Surface Buds, Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Pixel Buds, Beats Buds... If there's a reason why every company and their mother churns out Beans like they're going out of style, it probably isn't because they're, uh, selling. They're all Premium Brands making Premium Products for Select Clientele.
If you don’t think $129 for earphones is an expensive luxury for the average person, you are in a bubble. Apple offers payment plans for them because people can’t afford to drop that much cash in one go.
Compared to what, Fisher Price? The entry level iPhone is $400, with refurbs lower, and even new units are often available free on contract with a carrier in the US.
