Apple’s Makes Pitch For The Four-Figure Smartphone

“It’s essentially a computer you carry around in your pocket” is the way countless people have described the smartphone over the years. Now, Apple is testing that cliché, and asking consumers to put their money where their mouth is. The age of the four-figure smartphone price is here, and, once again, Apple is leading the charge both in hardware and messaging.

As smartphones became both more complex and more ubiquitous, most people thought it was inevitable that, at some point, they would eclipse some laptops in price. But, with the recent reveal in Cupertino, CA, Apple released not one but two different iPhone X models that will cost you more than a grand to take home. Sure, the original iPhone X was $1,000, but that was positioned as a premium model, the top of the line, rather than the average cost of the newest model.

So, what’s Apple’s pitch to get people to take one home? CEO Tim Cook began with features, citing the larger screen, which runs from edge to edge, as well as an upgraded camera and a list of other detailed bells and whistles.

But there are some other benefit-related features that Apple hopes will sell many new units. The combination of a larger screen and smaller profile than previous other larger-screen iPhones allows users to watch videos, record videos and shoot photos with greater ease and more comfort than previous bulkier models.

For Apple, one of the key benefits of the higher price tag is a greater profit per unit. Apple has been selling fewer smartphones in recent years, as people are hanging on to their longer, so the company needs to make more per unit to keep investors happy.

To meet that goal, Apple relied on something that used to define their products, a feature that has waned somewhat in recent years: the “cool” factor. These models have some interesting new features that scream space age tech. Features like facial recognition technology that unlocks the phones, rather than the home button.

But there’s another layer to Apple’s big ticket push: the XR. This model will look and feel a lot more like a traditional iPhone, and it will cost hundreds less than the other newer models. The purpose of that phone is to attract people who want a new iPhone, but not at the four-figure price tag.

With this combination of cool and, relatively, affordable, Apple has managed to get everyone’s attention – again – while also giving most potential customers an option they are willing, or able, to afford.