What Makes Apple Products Related to Social Class?

It is fairly easy to find Apple product users on any given day.

The iPhone is one of the most popular and costly cellphones due to its attractive design and extensive App Store.

While some argue that its high price reflects the high quality of its hardware and software, iPhones are not simply expensive devices that only the wealthy can purchase.

Although an iPhone may merely be a fantastic phone for upper-class people, it can also be a way for middle—and lower-class people to experience a part of the upper-class lifestyle.

Though anyone who can afford to buy an iPhone can possess one, the association of Apple products with upper-class status is what makes them so appealing to people of all social classes.

In 2014, Apple debuted the iPhone 5c, a plastic-made iPhone that was cheaper.

Because of the cheaper pricing, people who previously couldn’t afford the iPhone could finally purchase one.

However, the iPhone 5c underperformed and Apple discontinued it.

People originally associated iPhones with the higher class.

Metal construction and a high price distinguished them from more affordable phones.

The iPhone 5C lacked these characteristics and failed to convey the upper-class lifestyle successfully.

As a result, some people disliked it since it diminished their ability to project a higher social level.

The upper-class status that an iPhone conveys to its owner accounts for much of its value.

The less expensive iPhone flopped. The media still represent iPhones as status symbols.

What is a Status Symbol?

Various goods can classify you as either affluent or not wealthy.

A status symbol determines your social and economic status.

Culture and value shift status symbols.

Capitalistic societies link these objects to monetary prosperity, where private enterprises and individuals own capital goods.

Others, such as fighters, the army, or pilots, use their profession as a prestige symbol.

Scars on the body indicate courage or honor and serve as a status symbol.

The following are the most common status symbols:

Expensive Items

Luxury vehicles, watches, phones, jewellery, and other items fall into this category.

These products are more expensive than a down payment on a property.

They are status symbols because they are largely inaccessible to the lower economic groups.

Demand for status symbols rises when they become more expensive due to their high price.

Uniforms

These denote membership in a group like law enforcement or the military.

It could also represent the owner’s speciality, rank, tenure, and other aspects of his or her social status inside the company.

These outfits may have medals, decorations, or badges that indicate the wearer’s official or heroic position.

Read: The History and Evolution of the iPhone

Why Apple Products Are Seen as Status Symbols

People make financial assessments based on the phone the assessed is using.

As a result, someone with an iPhone is classified as having a high income because Apple products are typically seen as status symbols.

So, owning an Apple iPhone puts you among the wealthy and famous, as these items are marketed at exorbitant rates, raising the bar.

People use their iPhones without a protective case, thus elevating its prestige signal.

It demonstrates to everyone around you that you are unconcerned with the risk of dropping it and the cost of fixing any damage.

As a result, the iPhone’s worth is determined by its price.

The cost of having the most recent iPhone model is considerable.

This indicates that it is a premium item available only to the wealthy.

Just look at the iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB, which costs roughly $1,599.

According to prior launch dates, new iPhone 14 models could be released in September 2022.

Apple’s marketing staff will present the new model as the best of the previously released models.

So, only the wealthy can afford to upgrade to the current version.

Furthermore, Apple provides a perception of exclusivity and poshness to its customers.

It’s simple to send and receive files from one Android phone to another, even from different manufacturers.

This is not the case with Apple devices such as iPhones.

To put it another way, you can only link devices made by this manufacturer.

The more Apple products you rack up, the richer you look to society.

If you see a person talking on an iPhone, typing on a Macbook, with an Apple watch on the wrist, and Airpods in their ears, you’d impulsively assume the person is wealthy… or has wealthy parents.

Having a status symbol item does not always imply wealth.

Regular individuals who may not be able to afford the glamorous life of a celebrity will want to buy the latest version of the device so they can at least say, “I have the same phone as Kim Kardashian.”

Read: iOS vs. Android: Which is Better for Mobile App Development?

Will Apple Products Continue To Be Status Symbols?

Despite a long-standing rivalry between Android and Apple users, with both sides proclaiming their device to be the greatest, Android customers frequently switch to Apple goods.

Apple users rarely switch back to Microsoft. Even brand ambassadors for Android phones use iPhones.

Is it because of outstanding features or because of great branding?

Apple has become the most valuable brand on the planet, with a net worth twice that of Microsoft.

According to experts, Apple is not just the world’s most popular brand but also the most successful firm in history.

Detractors are eager to point out Apple’s shortcomings and dismiss it as a status symbol for individuals who prefer flash to cash.

On the other hand, Apple is responsible for various distinct selling factors that contributed to its early success before it became fashionable.

Read: The Major Differences Between Android and iOS

Conclusion

Apple established a digital powerhouse by combining various features: security, elegant design, and user-friendly interfaces.

Despite being the most popular smartphone on the market, the iPhone represents an exclusive lifestyle for some buyers.

Technology is the planet’s most rapidly evolving resource.

Our phones have evolved from cumbersome, inconvenient devices in less than two decades to sleek, fashionable must-have accessories.

Nobody knows what the future holds for the next status symbol.

Will the popularity of Apple products continue to grow as more people purchase one?

Or will another technological miracle arrive and toss the iPhone aside?

Our fascination with technology suggests that the gadget market is wide open for other tech companies looking to release “the next great thing.”

After all, Apple has only been in business for almost 40 years.

Even though our quickly changing technologies make it nearly difficult to predict which device will be the next big thing, our fascination with new technology appears to be here to stay.

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