In fact, before the iPhone there were already phones that were considered high-end. For example, in 2005, Nokia launched the 8800 model and it was seen as a luxury phone because it was one of the first to focus on the fashion aspect. Another example is the BlackBerry, which in 2007 represented 30% of the most sold phones and which offered the famous “pin” service; a kind of WhatsApp of the moment among users of these devices.
But the arrival of the iPhone, in 2007, marked a milestone in the telephone industry. At that time, phones cost between $100 and $300 and this device cost $499 in its 4GB model and $599 in its 8GB version, being almost a scandal.
If that same iPhone were purchased in Mexico in 2023, with the inflation adjustment, it would have cost 11,459 pesos.
Currently, this figure is what a mid-range phone would cost and even the cost of the iPhone SE, the company’s cheapest model.
Given the impact of this device on the market, almost all brands in the phone industry began to offer high-end phones and, therefore, the iPhone is no longer considered the most expensive phone.
High-end phones more expensive than an iPhone 15
“For the first time, new Apple phones are even below the price of their competitors,” shared Piedras.
This week, Apple announced the launch of its new iPhone 15, 15Pro and 15 Max. Although the main differences are mainly in the chips and cameras, all of these devices are still considered high-end.
However, there are already other phones that already exceed the cost of the iPhone.
The price of the iPhone 15 starts at 19,899 pesos and, in the case of the 15 Pro, at 23,999 pesos.
According to the table presented, one of the most expensive high-end phones at the moment is the Honor Magic5 Pro 512 GB, for a cost of 25,999 pesos.
On the other hand, devices like the Xiaomi 13 Pro or the Huawei P60 Pro, which are the closest competitors to the iPhone 15 Pro, are almost 5,000 pesos more expensive than the Apple version.
As for the Oppo N2 Flip, its cost is high because it is a foldable phone and these types of phones already fall into the “premium” category.
Apple’s penetration into the Mexican market
Currently, Apple is the third most consumed brand in Mexico, with a market penetration of 13% according to data from The CIU. In first place is Samsung, with 34.5%, and in second place is Motorola, with 21.6%.
“This can be a disruptor that makes the iPhone break its 13% market barrier,” shared Piedras, since Apple changed its strategy regarding price and remained quite competitive.
For example, the iPhone 14 is still considered a high-end phone and now has an initial cost of 16,499 pesos, a figure that positions it as a highly competitive phone in the market.
In turn, the cheapest model of the brand is the 64 GB iPhone SE and the price is 10,499 pesos. Although according to the study “New smartphone acquisition habits” the average user expense when purchasing a device in Mexico is 4,501 pesos, they also revealed that this figure is fueled by a growing acquisition and migration to mid- and high-range devices .
On the other hand, Piedras mentions that there are two more reasons why Apple continues to be considered a brand with little market penetration in Mexico: the first, because it remains an aspirational brand and the second is that it has a “technological imprisonment.”
This means that Apple devices can only coexist with each other, while other brands such as Samsung or Motorola, which have the Android operating system, can take advantage of a much more open ecosystem.