iPhone might have a higher upfront costs, but the user will most likely save more by buying an iPhone than a similarly or even a bit cheaper high end Android phone, due to the longer lifetime of an iPhone.
> but the user will most likely save more by buying an iPhone than a similarly or even a bit cheaper high end Android phone
I highly doubt this. A flagship iPhone costs $1000+. I would consider the Pixel 4a to be a "bit cheaper high end Android phone". You can buy a stack of 3 Pixel 4a phones for $1050. Are you confident 1 iPhone can outlast 3 Pixels? If you go to mid range Android you can get stacks of 4-6 phones. You could get 4 Moto G Power for $1000. My $250 Nexus 5X has lasted me 4+ years now, so a stack of 4 of them could last me 16+ years before hardware failure. In reality though, Android/app updates make my phone more and more sluggish over time and so I'm forced to upgrade every ~3 years to get a snappy experience again.
Extremely, because I've owned several pixels and iPhones of various models. As an example I got my partner an iPhone SE in 2016 and it's still working perfectly, it even still looks good. Not only is it still getting updates, it runs the latest iOS. The original pixel came out the same year and cost hundreds more, less support, and my experience has has been disappointing in regards of hardware quality.
Just look at the used market and compare Pixels and iPhones released at the same time and about the same price. iPhones sell for about 2x vs google phones.
Still using my iPhone SE from 2016, though I have replaced the battery twice ($29 through Apple's "sorry for slowing your devices down" discount, $29 personally via iFixit) since.
Agreed that iPhones can last a great deal longer while staying relatively current on the software front these days. However, if you know that the Pixel a-series is going to stay at the $350-400 price point, you could buy two $350 a-series Pixels 3 years apart and potentially get more value/longevity than an iPhone at the $700 price point.
Of course, you could also buy a 2020 iPhone SE at $399 that'll last you 5-6 years, so if you just stick with the cheapest iPhone you'll likely save money over the a-series.
1) People use their phones long after their official support window.
2) The price of Android phones most people around me buy are 50€-200€, well under most iPhones. Also consider that iPhones are more expensive outside the US, where more people buy Androids.
I watch people buy those phones. They have a terrible experience. Charging ports fail. The phone breaks easily. Given the amount of time they spend on their phones they seem like a HUGE hassle.
