[iamleppert]

There already is one here. Many low income people don’t own iPhones. iPhone isn’t a popular or accessible choice or typically associated with prepaid cell phone providers, and if it’s available, it’s ridiculously overpriced at cell phone stores in disadvantaged communities.

That’s not on accident. Apple could, at this point, offer budget-friendly devices but they choose not to. Whenever they release a new device, it always comes in a few flavors —- all expensive.

What’s sad to me is not that most of the poor don’t own an iPhone, but the lengths I’ve seen some people go to buy one who can’t afford it, just in an effort to keep up.

It’s even worse at schools. I have a nephew who came home in tears because he was bullied for owning an Android, and begging his parents (who couldn’t afford it) to buy him an iPhone so he could fit in. When that happened, everything Apple instantly became unattractive to me; I never go into Apple stores anymore (no matter how cool the tech), and I stopped buying their products.

Of course, I think the sad part is there simply aren’t enough people like me to even move the needle enough to make Apple care, and that’s the real travesty.

[dieselgate]

I agree with everything you’re saying. Isn’t the SE supposed to be a “budget” option though? I’m not someone who keeps up with this stuff though. Hopefully it can be a learning experience for your nephew about not worrying what others thing - just looking on the bright side, then when they’re older maybe they can have the perspective of “not being cool is cool in a way”.