Cheapest Way to Own an iPhone

[@simonbernlieger]

00:00 Cost of Ownership explain 00:41 Why it matters for phones 01:19 How I came up with the data 02:14 iPhone depreciation 03:20 Comparison of different strategies 06:13 Conclusion 08:13 Bonus: Are carrier deals worth it? 09:22 Thank you!

[@Justin-vf9jt]

I have bought an iPhone 11 Pro 2 years ago for 300€, the value is now down to about 150-180€ so I am spending about 60 to 75€ per year adding my 5€ per month contract, I do spend a little bit more than 10€ per month in total.

[@simonbernlieger]

That is incredible!

[@123shotas]

Too much still 😂

[@alcidesfy]

@@123shotas The 11 line is still rock solid, even is iOS18 comes with slowdowns. The picture quality on the 11 pro is incredible. It has a lush display as well. And the 4G limitation keeps plans real cheap.

[@somebodySun]

Thats quite cheap.

[@Wuestenwiesel]

It's funny to realise, that the data plan is often much more expensive than the monthly costs of ownership. Back in Germany I had a free data plan with 500 mb a month. Because there is free WiFi literally everywhere nowadays, I just did not needed more. Now I have a prepaid plan with never expiring data, calls, texts. It will probably last 10 years what I bought lately 😂. Cost me 20$ in total here in Asia

[@smfilmsrvw]

Imagine being a person making quality content like KZbinrs with 10k+ subs do, but you actually only have 15 subs. Give this man the hype he deserves. Just subscribed. 🤝 Greets from Germany 🙏

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much man! :-) That made my day!

[@delasantos]

Agree - this has production value of a major media company but without the media bias. Appreciat the unique take Simon! Thank you for not being a puppet for Apple or Android. Good value video and you deserve to be bigger. Keep at it. Well done - subscribed.

[@jimj2683]

People are dumb and only watch obnoxious native english speakers with flashy editing.

[@simonbernlieger]

@@delasantosThank you so much 😊

[@maurobova8855]

i don't know if anyone noticed, but props to you for making the video last 9:41

[@luisthoppil6163]

??

[@seryip]

Basically 10 min or longer videos get more ad revenue, so it's quite temptative to milk a bit more from your monologue just to get past that point when you're that close

[@zants_]

@@seryip It's actually been over 4 years (since an update on July 27, 2020) that KZbin lowered the minimum length for videos to be eligible for mid-roll ads from 10 minutes to 8 minutes.

[@nniklask]

Im staying on the 5 year strategy, I don’t want to setup a new phone every year. I’ve seen my dad do it first and he’s been using his phones basically like on day one for 6+ years at a time. Father like son it is 😂

[@simonbernlieger]

A very valid reason!

[@Xackory]

its so easy and fast to do so? Are you a boomer

[@nniklask]

@@Xackory I ain't, but im also not locked into one ecosystem. If Apple cant deliver and an Android can, I switch sides. A transfer (for just a few things) from Android to iOS and vice versa does take ages. Same can happen from ios to ios

[@akshayaddy]

@@nniklask iTunes backup and restore doesn't take that long. There are other options as well like iCloud backup & phone migration.

[@nniklask]

@@akshayaddy are you reading what im saying? I usually want to transfer the minimum of things like chats. I am not locked to either ecosystem, it takes quite some time to transfer stuff over. Thats one reason, but its also wasteful to buy new tech this frequent, when theres literally no reason to.

[@mambotepodcast]

I bought my iphone xr back in 2020 for 400€ and it still works fine! I will probably upgrade it to a 17 pro next year and it's gonna be an incredible upgrade. Love to see videos like this covering things for the average person

[@TerrorSyxke]

I'd say a 18, the xr is still plenty good enough, can hold out u til the 18, the 18 will definitely be a bigger deal just as ios 18 is

[@jasonpugliano]

@@TerrorSyxkei just switched from an XR to a 13 pro and already that was a big jump. Waiting 2 more years to switch from a phone that currently heats up when doing basic tasks is just absurd

[@TerrorSyxke]

@@jasonpugliano it shouldn't, it's plenty fine spec wise to do basic things, apple is at foul play maybe

[@simonbernlieger]

I appreciate your comment :) And yeah 17 Pro will be incredible compared to the Xr for sure

[@creativepicnl]

I bought the XS 256gb secondhand in ‘21 for 350 and upgraded it 3 days ago to a 14 pro 256gb for 650. State wise they were both comparable. I guess that I had a good deal with the XS and with the 14 pro a bit less. Experience wise? Apart from the camera and battery, the experience isn’t that batter in my opinion. The Dynamic Island is buggy imo. It functions as a shortcut module and shows an icon but in certain cases, the icon does not disappear after use which makes the island huge. Not an improvement compared to the notch. Battery of the XS heated up and it gotten pretty sluggish. Replacing the battery would make it costly so I decided to upgrade. Since Apple Intelligence won’t be a thing for a long while in my country it wouldn’t make sense to pay full price for a 16 or 16pro.

[@akshayaddy]

I bought 11 Pro Max 256GB for 124000-7000 cashback INR in India in 2019. Apple is giving around 22-25k with trade in so it's still holding around 20% value after 5years. Not to mention it would sell for even more in used market. Buying 1 year old and selling it after 1 year makes the most sense as one would be able to capture precious moments in good quality, won't have battery issues, should be more reliable, phone won't look old and will be relevant. I went with 5-6 years strategy but 5G came here after 3years. Great video, keep making more such content! Subscribed.

[@simonbernlieger]

1year old every years is a great value strategy if one doesnt mind the hassle of switching phones regularly :) And thank you very much for your support of course! :)

[@xenvector]

most reasonable opinion I've ever heard keep it up!

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much, I appreciate it :)

[@16andbraindead]

Just bought an iPhone X, it’s been my dream phone for ages. It feels good being able to hold this thing

[@savagesam205]

That’s a really nice phone still. Enjoy :) which color did you choose?

[@16andbraindead]

@@savagesam205 Space Grey, thinking of doing the transparent mod. I think that i should’ve got the Max, and got the white one. At least it’s a 256gb model. So far, it’s enough to hold all my photos, and the OIS is fantastic. It’s miles better than the P20 Lite i had been maining for the last 5 years. This Iphone X is just the same price as the P20L was in 2018 when i got it new with 64gb and black (there was a rainbow option)

[@simonbernlieger]

I always wanted to own that one too..great design!

[@16andbraindead]

@@savagesam205 It’s space grey, has scratches but it’s still pretty. I think white does look better.

[@NorthlanderMN]

This is a high quality channel. I appreciate your videos.

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much!

[@bule7405]

There is one factor you forgot to include in. The depreciation depends from country to country, in Serbia iphone holds value really really good. So good in fact, that i 4-5 years ago bought a used Iphone 6s for 120 eur, used it for 2 years and sold it for SAME price again.

[@simonbernlieger]

I know.. I looked at US, Austria (where Im from) and India to give "some" international context..but unfortunately I cannot look at every country..:( I also should have / could have included inflation...as used prices also went up a lot (especially in Europe) over the last years.. Nevertheless your 6s buy and sell was obviously incredible! Congrats on that and all the best :)

[@bule7405]

@@simonbernlieger Fair enough, if you counted lets say Brazil, your iphone 6s would most likely worth more than the msrp was in 2015 hahah

[@cherkas009]

Because the iPhone 6s is already at the bottom of the depreciation so the good thing about that is it's not going to go any lower cuz it's already at the bottom you could always get a phone like that

[@AnsonLee-cx5ct]

Bro this channel is gold I’ve been going thru every single videos of yours and they are so so so informative, exactly what I want as a person who loves buying used products to save money. Pls keep making these contents

[@simonbernlieger]

Aww, that comment made my day! :) Thank you so much!!

[@Svobodastical]

this should get way more views, great quality content and a subject that nobody talks about but what about pro models? you can't find them with 1 year old, only used

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much! :) Yeah for pro models you have to look into used and/or refurbed. Sites like Backmarket for example sell refurbished phones with warranty.

[@marksivko]

Great video! I started reselling iPhones recently, and i just wanted to say that you can always buy an older model (2+ years) for 30% cheaper than the current market value on FB marketplace, if you look for a couple of days.

[@simonbernlieger]

You are absolutely right!

[@nesloerik]

Had my previous phone for 5 and a half years, an Android (OnePlus 7 Pro) that I bought new $700, I just got an iPhone 15 Pro used on swappa for $600 right after the September iPhone 16/16 Pro release. Glad I watched this video because I was originally planning on keeping this 15 Pro for like 4-5 years, but based on that info I may just get a 1-2 year old used Pro iPhone every year or every other year from now on. Great video!

[@simonbernlieger]

I am happy that you found that helpful 😊 Thank you and all the best with your 15 Pro!

[@PaulShylko]

This video is exactly what I was looking for - it’s simply perfect, thank you! Do you consider making that a series? For example, the cheapest way to own an Apple Watch or a MacBook seems great🙂

[@simonbernlieger]

That's so nice - thank you very much! And yes I am panning to do one at least about MacBooks maybe Apple Watch as well!

[@BrunoRibeiroComboios]

@@simonbernlieger Please do for Apple Watch as-well!

[@simonbernlieger]

@@BrunoRibeiroComboios Will be the next video!!

[@BrunoRibeiroComboios]

@@simonbernlieger Great, thanks! The Watch is my favourite Apple device, and why I switched everything to Apple.

[@simonbernlieger]

@@BrunoRibeiroComboios Coming out tomorrow :)

[@Adam_Adam_Adam_Adam]

I just bought an iPhone 12 mini for £129. It’s never had a single component changed and the screen is immaculate. It does everything I’ll ever need it to.

[@simonbernlieger]

provided you are ok with the rather small battery the 12 and 13mini are indeed amazing. And 129 pounds is insane value 😊

[@Adam_Adam_Adam_Adam]

@ seems fine to me as I’m not a heavy user. I’m pretty happy with it😁

[@michaelsantos4699]

I am into Apple ecosystem, but not willing to spend top dime on it. Thanks for presenting your point in a very logical and practical manner. This video is a great guide for my future purchases. Subscribed! 🎉😊

[@simonbernlieger]

Glad it was helpful! And thank you very much for subscribing!

[@LaurinZinggl]

Wow, cool to see a fellow austrian making tech content. Nice work!

[@simonbernlieger]

Dankeschön! :)

[@S-1_24-25]

I got an iPhone XS for $210 and it was in a very good condition for the body, the screen was scratched but wasn’t a big issue for me. It’s not my main phone but considering the condition of it, it was a decent deal

[@simonbernlieger]

Xs is a beautiful phone imo!

[@hedydd2]

I bought an iPhone 8 and kept it for six years and had one new battery fitted, Sold it for £80. Assuming it cost £800 and the battery cancelled the selling price, it cost £133/year or £11/month or £0.35/day. Not forgetting a contract for 10GB and unlimited calls per month at £12/month. So it cost me around £0.75 per day all included. I recently replaced it with a 15 Pro Max which cost about the same after deducting the VAT, which I reclaim because I’m a VAT registered business user, and also offset the cost against income, as a cost, thus saving another big chunk of income tax money.

[@simonbernlieger]

Yes, as a business sometimes a more expensive phone might be better value than something cheaper :) Congrats on your new 15 Pro Max!

[@PL-oc7vn]

Buying the newest iPhone in september is probably the least efficient way to buy one because after just one year that same phone has already a 20% price drop new. So I think a good strategy is to get the last years iPhone and sell it almost in new condition every two years, then do the same through you life and you'll live with the latest technology. I stand to be corrected !

[@simonbernlieger]

Absolutely, that is a great strategy!

[@dariusben6106]

I also consider this the best strategy. For me another point is that you don't need to set up a new iPhone every year (which is pretty simple but still needs to be done with logging in to all apps etc) for a small increase of technological advantage...

[@iggytse]

I was lucky with my first 2 iPhones, a 5 and a 2016 SE. Both kept for 4 years. Both had free multiple battery replacements and minor hardware fixes from the Apple Store. So no additional costs after the new purchase price. My current 12 Pro Max I didn’t qualify for a free battery just before 2 years as the health was still over 80%. Also at that time Apple had shortages. So at the 4 year mark I will spend $149 AUD for a new battery which should last another 3 to 4 years.

[@carfuen1073]

Yess your right thanks for the change in perspective! I bought the 13pro brand new because I had an android and I really liked the new cameras I’ll probably keep it for another 2 years hopefully and then I’ll keep your strategy in mind for my future purchases but for now the 13pro works great and video quality is insane. So I’ll just have to upgrade for storage at some point

[@simonbernlieger]

Glad you found it helpful 😊 And yes video quaility from the 13 Pro onward is amazing indeed

[@bloodygoon]

I had a iphone 11 for 4 years and now i’m in the market of buying a iphone 13 pro or iphone 14 pro. which do you recommend?

[@simonbernlieger]

That obviously also depends on what kind of deal you can get on each one / how long you want to keep it etc. Personally I would probably going with the 13Pro and sell it after 2 years.

[@markomusija3963]

Thank you for providing us with useful content. I will keep in consideration when buying a new phone or used . Keep it going

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much for your nice comment, I am glad you liked the video!

[@crisd.4510]

Amazing video, having a "monthly cost of ownership" document for all important larger purchases in daily life would be incredibly useful. Haven't seen content like this on youtube before. Can I ask what your specialty is in the finance sphere (assuming that you work in the finance industry and therefore decided to aim your channel at personal finances)? Thanks; liked & subscribed.

[@sajidcreativo]

Agreed

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you very much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! I don't work in the finance industry but I had my own business(es) ever since I graduated high school...and I have always been interested in economics A LOT :)

[@crisd.4510]

@@simonbernlieger Interesting, thanks for the insight!

[@mika2666]

Bought my uncle’s 1 year old 13 pro 2 years ago and it’s been great, 1 year old iPhones are the best value

[@simonbernlieger]

Absolutely!

[@jarodvor]

I bought iPhone XS Max 64GB for 850€ with 100% battery and invoice and everything from a guy who bought it for 1300 € used it for couple of months and sold it because of new phone (he told me it's his hobby to buy the best and the newest). Anyways. To this day I am still rocking it. I service my electronics as a hobby, so I was happy to change it's battery after 4 years, broken microphone and lighting port. I keep saying to myself over and over for past 3-4 years - this year I'm going to upgrade to new model. Well. Every year I update to new iOS which somehow speeds it up for couple of months, and every year I get upset because of new models, which don't check at least some boxes which I wish new iPhone would have. Well. After 6 years :D I start to feel encouraged to cross 10 year milestone and jump from iPhone "10" to iPhone 20. I hope they name it XX...Anybody having it the same? :D

[@simonbernlieger]

I root for you and your X to XX plan! :)

[@klaveciniste]

I just worked out that the dumbphone, I bought 2,5 years ago, is costing me €4,25 a month. I can live with that!

[@simonbernlieger]

Nice!!

[@mrm8818]

Why didn’t you use a comma. Do u realise what you just did there?

[@itssuhaibalrumi]

I’m still using the iPhone X for 5yrs , changed the battery (65$) a few months ago.

[@simonbernlieger]

Cool, I assume it still works properly ? :)

[@itssuhaibalrumi]

@@simonbernlieger yep, it does , i’m an average user so no gaming , just browsing, calling & messaging, enough for me . I might upgrade to iPhone se4 if it’s as the leaks say it’s.

[@hafluq2979]

I bought an iphone 13 mini for around 630 euro last year. If they don't make another iphone below 6 inches then I will not be getting another iphone

[@simonbernlieger]

I SO hope that they will make something small again...maybe an SE 3rd gen with iPhone 15 internals

[@kenos6939]

@@simonbernliegerisn’t the base 16 the same size as the base 12-15?

[@simonbernlieger]

@@kenos6939 Pretty much same size, yes. But the 12mini and 13mini are way smaller

[@mihaylo_kovin]

Good idea of the video! Btw good to add "trade-in" evaluation in this way!

[@simonbernlieger]

Glad you liked it!

[@lucasferrer7005]

thank you for your dedication and good luck for your KZbin channel it seem really well prepared. As user I would say that the relation of learning and entertaining was not good. didn't learnt much as the points even clearly had done research, are pretty obvious. The learning material was not strong enough neither diverse and the entertaining was perty much none. But I love you actitude and dedication and I think you have potential as you seem trustworthy in your communication. I would love to visit Autria one day, good luck with your channel and keep improving, cheers!!!

[@simonbernlieger]

Ok I try to work on that feedback ;)

[@the_reality_of_the_virtual3212]

I am your 1000th subscriber. You deserve many more!!

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much man!!! ♥

[@eddierivera8274]

I generally think leasing is a bad move in personal finance, especially with cars or furniture, but phones are a rare exception. Here in the states, multiple carriers combine the most comprehensive data plans with a leasing program that is basically $10/month on top of your bill and allows you to upgrade your phone to any other make/model after 3 $10 payments and three phone installments. When you consider the installment is usually $0/no-cost -after-credits after trade in, you are essentially getting a flagship phone every year with no restrictions on trade in for $120 a year. the "catch" is that you have to have a data plan with the primo players and the cheapest unlimited plan with them is around $45/month but it can be cheaper if you combine multiple lines and home internet. If you like playing with the latest phone as a general interest or are very rough on your phones, I have found that as long as you always use a case and screen protector, this is my favorite way to have a phone.

[@simonbernlieger]

Absolutely, if the math works, just do that. And what you are describing here does sound great, especially when you want to have a higher end plan anyways.

[@electrogeek4039]

The best smartphone i have use was the iPhone 8 ! Buy for 200€ and use during 2 years. 8.33€ per month ! Not bad at all !

[@simonbernlieger]

Excellent value!

[@717pixels9]

The very process of buying a phone should be factored in as well (value of time spent on scrolling through the second-hand market and negotiation, also the risc of buying the broken or stolen iphone)

[@simonbernlieger]

Great point!

[@thomas.thomas]

with people being on social media 8 hours a day they might as well look trough the second hand market and not buy a new phone that eventually will end up as landfill after 10 years

[@barryb1490]

Very interesting and explained in a way even I could understand! Thank you and keep it up :)

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much, glad you liked it!

[@rtx2080ubermacht]

bought a used Xs 256gb in mint condition months ago for $330, now its around 250-280 in my country. I had bought a brand new iphone 13 when it was the latest for 800$ but felt this purchase was pointless although I was upgrading from an iphone 5s. so i gave my sister the 13 and bought the used Xs, which i still use and rely on daily.

[@simonbernlieger]

the Xs probably doesnt feel a lot worse than the 13 I guess

[@christiansaravia7865]

I have an iPhone 8 that was used and it’s been going strong for like 2 years now. Hopefully with many more to come. Before that I had a 7 that broke after about 2 and a half years. Before that I was on the 5. I’ve never had anything above an 8 and imo it’s great. When it does break, I’ll probably just get an android

[@simonbernlieger]

Why do you plan on getting an android after your iPhone 8?

[@rodrigo4379]

Bought my 12 mini on backmarket one year after release, it was 450 euro and it was brand new :D

[@simonbernlieger]

That's awesome!

[@ramalhaofalcao]

Great video and awesome camera quality! Really dig the vibe

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you very much, man! I appreciate it :)

[@newdaysamepains]

I had bought an Iphone XR around maybe a few months after it came out for ~$400. I had been waiting for apple to make a major upgrade to the iphone and although I liked the X, when the XR came out it was more of what I needed. Bigger screen, bigger battery, lower price. I was planning on keeping it until the next major iphone update, something like the 8 to the X and I still use it, currently on my second battery. However, I got lucky and somone bought me the Iphone 15 pro, performance is day and night. So if apple does not give us a major update, I will probably keep this phone forever as long as they offer batter replacements.

[@simonbernlieger]

15 Pro is a beast and a value sweet spot now that the 16s came out :)

[@swagmanandy]

I bought my iPhone in 2016 and it still works fine and my network cost's $6 a month.

[@LolLol-vo3tt]

I know it's for iPhone, but I would say this anywhere. I bought my first smartphone in 2018, a Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus with 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM. I used it until October of this year, and I probably could have used it longer, but I worked through the summer and had some money, so I decided to buy a new phone. I bought the S23 128 GB for €470 (previously phone priced at €250 in 2018). So, I bought last year's Samsung flagship. Previously, I had a mid-range smartphone and kept it for six years, so the new phone should last the same or even a year longer. I use it just for KZbin, WhatsApp, Google, and reading PDF files. I bought a new one because I always turn on power-saving mode for the battery and charge it to 80% max so that I can have it longer because of the battery. Used phones are cheaper, but when I keep it for a longer period, it's okay; there's not much difference, maybe €1.50 per month for a longer period. It's okay, I think.

[@liviurosca]

I’m on 13 Pro, usually i keep my phones around 2 years but in the last 5-6 years or so the phones become more expensive and technically speaking not so much improvements compared to, let’s say 2013-2018 when was a race between manufacturers. Also my previous phone, now second phone still works fine after 5 years (OnePlus 7 Pro). I think that buying a 1 year old phone and keeping for 2-3 years it’s a sensible option as well. You get good discounts if you buy through your provider and you don’t change cases so often. Also buying a phone that it’s already for 1 year on the market that means that most of the problems are sorted already. Personally i’m undecided. My 13 Pro still works great but i’m tempted to buy the 16 Pro Max version this time for bigger screen. My 2 year contract it’s expiring in December so i got some time to decide. If not, i will keep my 13 Pro one more year but with a new battery since now it’s at 79%.

[@simonbernlieger]

Great points / advice! And yeah smartphone development curve really flattened out! I myself plan to use my 13 for another year before then probably getting the 16 Pro as a one year old :)

[@hypnogri5457]

One could also add in the risk of getting scammed on the buy/sell of the phone each year. (If you do it through a marketplace)

[@simonbernlieger]

That is a valid point, you are absolutely right. Although I do think that this happens less than people think / fear.

[@BoccaccioAC]

I bought the iPhone 14 Pro that I am using right now last year, when the 15 pro came. Now I have a good argument to get the 15 pro 😂

[@simonbernlieger]

Yeah, go for it :)

[@junonova1]

Great video! Thank u so much Simon!

[@simonbernlieger]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@alin_943]

Very good content, keep it up!!

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you!!

[@User-tl4fb]

Did I miss a part where you include the battery replacement cost of used iPhones? Most of those from second hand market requires a battery replacement (or they will very soon) if the phone is 2+ years old. At least that’s what I found when I was searching for used one. I myself went with a strategy to buy new, most recent model and keep it for 4-5 years. A brand new iPhone 16 is only 12.5% more expensive than the last year’s iPhone 15, at least in EU, so for me it seemed worth it to pay those extra 12.5% for the 16 model. I think I could do better buying a used one last year’s model, but not older than let’s say 3 months. Didn’t do any math behind it, but seems like the best deal to me. Anyway, great video 👍

[@simonbernlieger]

First of all thank you for your comment and I am glad you liked the video! :) Regarding battery replacement cost: In this video I did not specifically talk about battery replacement because all the strategies that involve buying a used phone cap out at 3years. And with a max age of 3years (at the time of you finally selling it) I honestly don't think that battery health is a big problem. For example I have my phone for 2 and a half years now and it shows 89% battery health.

[@pingshien91]

I bought iPhone 11 five years back with RM3,399 (USD820). Trade in last week for iPhone 15 which is selling for RM3,499 (USD845) minus RM600 (USD145) rebate from the trade in. So I only paid RM2,899 (USD700) for a brand new iPhone 15. No telco contract. Was surprised to see the iPhone 11 is still worth so much. Best purchases ever

[@simonbernlieger]

That sounds good! Congrats on your new phone :)

[@HaonProductions]

I still vote using carrier deals as long as you're fine with a slightly older model and keeping the phone for two years. There's usually an option to just throw it on top of your existing plan at a relatively high discount, and I always prefer new to used. Though maybe getting a one year old phone would mean there's not a huge difference! Something to consider next time.

[@simonbernlieger]

I agree! I bough my existing iPhone 13 with a carrier deal (for business) and when I got it 2years ago it was the best deal for me personally.

[@nikolaseussable]

You have to calculate screen protector and case into that calculation. If you get a 1 year old iphone every year and you get decent quality accessories it is about additional 80€

[@simonbernlieger]

That is a good point! Never think about that as I have never used a screen protector in my life.. But I do use skins / cases & it is hugely annoying that even from something like an iPhone 14 to 15 Pro you have to get a new case..

[@rayrayronald]

Would be interesting to see how the opportunity cost of interest rate comes into play

[@simonbernlieger]

The opportunity cost of interest rate? Like when you finance a phone? I don't get it.

[@lillearen2821]

I've owned and used my IPhone 8 for more than 6 years now 😁 Finally decided to upgrade to IPhone 15. Although IPhone 8 is still fine, only the battery is now holding only ~80% of its original capacity (yap, even the battery in this phone was never changed). I just understand that it can't be perfect forever and it will glitch and break at some point. Sooo… better to upgrade when you have it planned in the budget, not when it is an emergency.

[@simonbernlieger]

80% for the original battery isn't bad at all given its age :) But I bet that the upgrade from 8 to 15 felt significant :)

[@Jon77777]

Im watching this video on my iPhone 11 that I bought outright at the time and it’s 5 years old… the battery is shocking now 😂 however I’m running off a £1 per month sim here in the U.K on a 6 month deal which I switch my number in and out of so my cost of ownership per month for this over the last 5 years is £13- £21 per month 🎉

[@simonbernlieger]

What will you get after you retire the iPhone 11?

[@Jon77777]

@@simonbernlieger that’s a good question. I am toying with the idea of getting a refurbished Samsung S22 plus as they’re half the price of a second hand iPhone at the same year. I am tempted to head back to android but who knows 🤷🏼‍♂️ I do think my iPhone will last another 1-2 years as my battery health is still at 74% 🙏👍

[@robinshood1268]

I buy used/refurbished last generation iPhones and usually use them for about 6 years. I run them down until they break or stop getting updates. Then I put them in my collection of old phones because they are practically worthless monetarily at that point :D

[@simonbernlieger]

Cool strategy - especially the collection part :) What's the oldest piece in your collection?

[@robinshood1268]

@@simonbernlieger The iPhone 4s is the oldest, I'm currently on the 13pro. Edit: My oldest phone in the collection is a Motorola C350, which was my second phone ever. I can't remember what the first one was. It was thrown away because the cell phone collection didn't exist back then 😄.

[@RynkiewiczOne]

0:05 Ali Abdaal feel good productivity spotted

[@simonbernlieger]

Great book :)

[@intensifiedhipster]

The fact that this video is 9:41 in length!

[@andrewkosenko2757]

I bought my iPhone 12 mini at 04.01.2021, at the time of writing this comment, this phone is 3 years and 8 months and 21 day old, so 44 months and 21 day, will round up to 45 months. I bought it at the price of around 790 USD, making the cost per month to 17.55 USD. It works as new still, and I don’t see a reason to upgrade in the nearest future, my expectation is that i will use it at least one more year before changing the battery will be needed (i’m at 79% battery health).

[@simonbernlieger]

That's great!

[@andrewkosenko2757]

And yes, after one more year, the cost will decrease to 14 usd per month

[@Friederius]

I also bought my iphone 12 mini in January 2021 for 660€.(~732 USD) and I’m at 79% battery. but I will upgrade soon, not because the phone doesn’t work anymore, but because all my other devices uses USB-C and for me, the convenience to not have different charging cables is worth the cost of upgrading. But the next phone I will use probably for an even longer time period.

[@andrewkosenko2757]

@@Friederius i bought my 12 mini new with 100% battery health in jan 2021 Taking two cables instead of one doesn’t bother me much, so it’s fine by me and not a big problem, but i understand your choice.

[@greatchain]

Awesome video. Thank you ❤

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much, glad you liked it!

[@baracho4104]

thats great content, really informative!

[@simonbernlieger]

I am happy to hear that!

[@janvlag3052]

2 years ago i bought a secondhand iPhone 12 mini for 330 and sold it one year later for 300. then (1 year ago) i bought the 13 mini for 275 maybe i sell this one whit a profit and buy the iPhone 14. whit this strategy you almost don't lose money every year just buy a second hand 2year old phone for around 300 or 400 and sell it one year later

[@janvlag3052]

great video btw!!

[@simonbernlieger]

Love that, you are doing it right!!!

[@birtalanlorant5572]

Bought a 12 Pro used when the 13 released. -100% battery, 0 scratches, brand new condition, but no box-, with a year of warranty. Paid about 700 euros for it. Kept it till this May when I switched to the 15 Pro Max. Instead of selling for 300 euros, I decided to pay apple 100, and get its battery replaced. It will stay in the family for another 3 years till the current one gets old enough. Thats roughly a 900 day ownership on my end, and another 900 on my family members side. Calculating the original purchase price + the battery change, thats 800 euros / 1800 days = 0.44 eur/day. It will be worth about 100-120 euros at that point in eastern europe, so if we decide to sell, we can include that in the calculation, which results in give or take 0.38 eur a day. I would say in my case, less than 0.4 eur a day for a ''Pro'' iPhone is great. The 15 Pro Max certainly wont be as good of a deal, as I bought it new at 1200 euros, so it will be about 0.7 eur a day when its lifecycle in our family ends.

[@simonbernlieger]

Love that!

[@chhmo9851]

Kleiner Tipp, das V wird im Englischen IMMER wie das V in Vase ausgesprochen, ohne Ausnahme. Grover wird als nicht "Grower" ausgesprochen, oder values nicht "walues" sondern wie gesagt das V immer wie in Vase.

[@simonbernlieger]

Vielen Dank :) Für mich als Österreicher klingt halt Vase auch wie "Wase".. und die Duden Aussprache klingt auch irgendwie wie "Wase"..

[@monk_cs2]

Thinking about buying a 13 pro for a bit over £400 and keeping it for 4 or 5 years, as I've had my iPhone 8 for 4 and a half years now, and it was already a few years old when i bought it, so I think I should be alright.😅Do you think a 14 pro for £550 could be more cost effective?

[@simonbernlieger]

There is not much between the 13 Pro and the 14 Pro technically.. but you do gain another year of software updates.. I personally would probably go with the 13 Pro but would try to sell it after 2-3 years before getting then maybe a 16 Pro..I think this is not really more expensive but certainly a better experience for you.

[@monk_cs2]

@@simonbernlieger thank you very much

[@GeoAnaGR]

​@@monk_cs2check iPhone 15 (non pro) you should find it at around £400-500 and it's better than both you're looking for in terms of battery life, same or better camera and another year "younger"... Just had one myself after checking the 14 Pro, went for a 15 256GB for £480 on eBay bid 👍🏽

[@martinbolz920]

This is an awesome video and analysis Nice work!

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much!

[@Ollichr]

I'm so glad I changed my apple products back to samsung, It's cheaper, better IMO and you are not locked into the other eco systems as much as every other tech company works more together.. whereas Apple makes it such a headache to cooperate with others.

[@simonbernlieger]

Being locked in is true. Good for you if you prefer Samsung :)

[@jakobroetzl]

We need more iPhone videos! Great video, keep it up🙌

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you very much and yes I will! :)

[@jeeiee_com]

I'm commenting from a $200 phone (6/64GB) that I bought in 2021. It now has the latest Pixel 9 Pro ROM with unlimited Google Photos. 😂 I'm getting my first iPhone soon, just for iOS development. I'll soon build an app on how to get unlimited Google Photos backup on an iPhone.

[@simonbernlieger]

Nice job man! :) Which iPhone will you get for this purpose?

[@marcomaissan9558]

With “Buy 1 year old…” and “Buy 2 year old…”, do you mean brand new (e.g. last generation) or a second hand one?

[@simonbernlieger]

In this case I am talking about / calculating with second hand.

[@dariusdareme]

Great reasearch. Awesome video.

[@simonbernlieger]

Thanks man!

[@WillFrost99]

Thank you man really enjoying these types of videos keep it up. Liked and subscribed - you deserve a lot more subscribers but i’m sure they’ll come if you keep going. I don’t even have an iPhone but this type of stuff is really interesting to me as I may buy an iphone in the future after my budget android breaks.

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you so much Will! :) I really appreciate your nice words!

[@vipinpg]

❤ from India

[@jug6290]

making this video 9:41 long is a nice touch

[@meahiroshimaPh]

I like your contents. I'm learning a lot of things. Keep it up ❤❤❤❤

[@simonbernlieger]

Thanks man, I appreciate it!! 🥰

[@giani1649]

i just bought an iphone se 2020 for 70$. new battery 22$. and case+screen protector another 5$ total: under 100$ for an ios 18 device with 100% battry health

[@simonbernlieger]

Awesome! Did you change the battery yourself?

[@giani1649]

@@simonbernlieger yes. i used a plastic playing card to separate the screen and the battery( with some drops of 99% alc). :)

[@simonbernlieger]

Good job!! 😊

[@alcidesfy]

It doesn't cost anything if you keep it for about 5 years and keep looking up cheap plans. If you make it until the 5 years mark, it's really not expensive at all. I'm still using an iPhone 11. With the cost of my plan, my iPhone cost me 25 euros per month. So I know to put money on the side to buy a new one by year 3, add that to the sum total, and the phone costs about 35 euros a month.

[@OrvilDsilva]

great video ❤ Subscribed

[@simonbernlieger]

Glad you liked it, thank you so much! 😊

[@nenadnikitovic726]

I plan to buy an iPhone i have now Realme GT Master i watched some of your videos. So i want to buy 15 Pro or 15 now when series 16 is released and keep it for 3 years like you do, i found a deal used 15 Pro 258gb 100% BH for 800€ is it a good deal or is it too much?

[@simonbernlieger]

That is a good deal for sure! Go for it!

[@nenadnikitovic726]

@@simonbernlieger Display was broken so i can for sure confirm is it original one, but i found another one in perfect condition same with 3 case and charger 15 Pro 258 90BH for 750€ but it already have 670 battery cycle...

[@OktaviusBiedermann]

Nice video. Keep on the effort!

[@simonbernlieger]

Thanks a lot, I will try :)

[@Lexartm]

Bought a Samsung S22 for 600€ in 2022 and it still works like on the first day. Mobile plan is like 11€ a month, so basically free. iPhone is a poor people scam lol

[@captainKbobkeeshan]

I think this is a pretty simplistic way of looking at it. And does not include other variables. Relying on assumptions and the idea of a massive consumer society. Most people do not need a new Iphone/ smart phone every year. If one kept a phone for 2, 3, 4, 5 years and had no issues with it, there is a different cost involved.

[@simonbernlieger]

It should just give a rough idea about good buying / selling strategies in today's world. But I agree that it can change anytime and that there are certainly many variables involved.

[@Rachel_Tensions]

good video. really well done

[@simonbernlieger]

Thanks a lot!

[@juanmag8405]

You missed the part that the money you are saving from buying not buying the newest iPhone must be capitalised being adjusted by any interest rate as the average of stock market or US treasury bonds

[@pavlovskyyp8799]

yea, but how do you capitalize this small amount of money? where i live you pay a monthly fee for having a brokerage account, and it makes it unprofitable for small amount of money. When selling/buying stocks, you pay a small fee for every transaction.

[@simonbernlieger]

You are right. I did talk more about opportunity cost in my other videos though

[@psicologiajoseh]

I will watch the video a second time so I see if I'm understanding your point correctly... 🤔

[@thomas.thomas]

Reselling their "old" phone is how I often hear people justifying buying a new phone every year. But overall they are still spending much more compared to just buying an okay phone instead of buying an overpriced device. Most people only use their phone for some light browsing, social media and some unprofessional photos and they get tricked into buying a phone that is as expensive as a motorcycle or old car

[@nipasini]

Personally I think the best strategy is to buy last year's iPhone and sell it after two or three years, which is what I plan on doing. I do no think it makes sense to buy brand new iPhones, especially considering as you have pointed out that they lose the most value in the first year, and there is very small difference between each years generation of phones, technically speaking.

[@simonbernlieger]

Thats exactly what I am doing at the moment. I have an iPhone 13 I bought when the 14 came out and I will use it for another year :)

[@Lolcryariver]

Got my iphone12 pro that was the last iPhone I purchased. I don’t see the point of buying an iPhone every year.

[@simonbernlieger]

The 12 Pro still probably feels better than something like a standard iPhone 14 or 15

[@thomas.thomas]

I wonder what the cost of ownership would be for Buy 3year old iPhone and keep for 3 years

[@raginginferno868]

Here before this dude blows up

[@nutzeeer]

I got a 12 pro max new that i didnt ask for. Since it was new i gotta keep it till the end to not loose too much money... and it lacks camera resolution.

[@simonbernlieger]

I personally think that the 12MP are fine though :)

[@nutzeeer]

@@simonbernlieger just that my nokia n8 from 2011 already had 12MP. And 2012 they released the first 48MP phone. Apples tech is just so lacking, except the processor.

[@sajidcreativo]

​@@nutzeeer iPhone 12mp is nothing to compare with Nokia 12mp.

[@nutzeeer]

@@sajidcreativo it can be compared if you have an n8 and a 12 MP iphone

[@sajidcreativo]

@@nutzeeer Yes, I just watched some. Yet the image processing technologies are very different. Just because it's the same or more megapixels doesn't mean it's good.

[@rihamission487]

So, if I buy a 1 year old iPhone, use it for 3 years, and then sell it, what would be my total cost of ownership?

[@simonbernlieger]

That certainly is also a very good strategy..your appoximate costs obviously depend on which iPhone you would choose..

[@carlosewe9171]

really cool video man

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you very much!

[@mansurmohamed1630]

Selling your kidney has never failed to get an iPhone

[@simonbernlieger]

😃

[@K4DDY]

Buy 2 or 3 year old phone and keep it for 3 years, did this since forever, 5 to 6s, 6s to XS, XS to 13 mini

[@simonbernlieger]

Goo strategy💪

[@Kirmo13]

Great video!

[@simonbernlieger]

Thank you!

[@sl3848]

The cost of the pro model going up in the 2yr vs 1yr old model calculation without any acknowledgement that that doesn’t make logical sense kind of calls into question the whole data set.

[@simonbernlieger]

The deprecation for the pro model seems to be much stronger from year 2 to year 3 compared to year 1 to year 2. Thats why it actually costs you more money to use the phone from one year old to two years old vs from 2years old to 3years old. That is an anomaly and probably caused by the fact that people who are in the market for a pro iPhone are specifically looking for high end / cutting edge and so the pro phones depreciate faster after a certain point compared to the standard models. But that last sentence is jus my guess :-)