Today, Apple made a big announcement for a new iPhone, in particular the iPhone Duo. It looked pretty neat. It’s basically a dual-screen smartphone, but this one is really interesting because they managed to hide the camera so well that it looks like one continuous screen, which is pretty cool.
They showed all the different ways you can fold the screen while still having access to the camera and the view, and it seemed really useful. But as usual with these devices, it all comes down to the price, and that’s where it gets shocking. The starting price for the 256GB model is $2,999 in Canada. If you want to upgrade to 512GB, it’s $3,299, and the top 2TB version costs $4,799. This thing is more expensive than a powerful computer. I was actually thinking of upgrading my computer, but at these prices, would you ever buy this phone?
Granted, this is clearly aimed at the premium market. The average person just wants to make calls and doesn’t need a folding screen like this. They’re targeting people who don’t mind spending this kind of money, but it could also be a mistake. It reminds me of Apple’s VR headset that was so expensive it was basically dead on arrival because almost no one could afford it.
So it makes you wonder if this is the right move. Some companies succeed with high prices, like Tesla, because they offer something unique that people are willing to pay for. Maybe that’s the idea here. But since phones are used by virtually everyone, this price point makes you question whether it’s a smart strategy or not.