The recent iPhone 6 and Apple Watch unveiling makes one thing perfectly clear: Apple has no interest in the several billion people who don’t own smart devices. It doesn’t care if you can’t afford its products and services. Apple is focusing solely on an affluent audience. If you want to buy an iPhone 6 and Apple Watch, you’re going to wind up spending about $5,000. That’s $500-$1,000 for the iPhone, case and tax, depending upon whether you sign up for a new two-year contract or buy the phone outright. Factor in another $2,400 for your monthly cell phone bill over two years, and $500-$750 for the Apple Watch and a cool band. Apple hasn’t announced full pricing on the Apple Watch, so that last number might in fact be a lot higher. Apple doesn’t care about the billions of people who don’t have the money for these new gadgets. It is instead laser-focused on a fashion-conscious aristocracy that also lines up with its developers, advertisers and its business partners.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.