Not all iPhones are created equal, especially when it comes to unsubsidized pricing. Ever wondered how much that iPhone would cost you if you lived in a different country? Now you can see how your country stacks up, thanks to a tool from Mobile Unlocked that shows iPhone prices and how they correlate to GDP in each country.
For purposes of consistency, Mobile Unlocked used the base 16GB model since it's the most popular. In the US, the iPhone costs just a little over 1% of GDP. Put that in perspective when you compare it to countries such as India where the iPhone costs a staggering 22% of the country's GDP, on average. In terms of US dollars, if you were to buy an iPhone 5s fully unsubsidized in the United States, it would cost you around $707 before tax. The same phone in Jordan would cost $1,091 or over 18% of GDP.
It's quite interesting to see how each country that sells the iPhone stacks up. Mobile Unlocked also shows prices in GBP, both with and without tax. Just keep in mind that Mobile Unlocked is using GDP (gross domestic product) which is different than GNP, which is a measurement of actual ownership.
While this study isn't an exact correlation between personal income, it's still a pretty good picture of how much the iPhone is worth in each country. It also helps explain why unlocked iPhones in the United States and the UK can fetch such a high price in the resale market, particularly among foreign buyers. Apple has been getting involved in the second hand phone market themselves with their trade-in program which was just launched at the end of the summer. There's a big market for phone resellers out there and this data does an excellent job of explaining exactly why.
Hit the link below to check out the study from Mobile Unlocked for yourself. And if you live in one of the countries where the iPhone goes for a higher price, how do you typically acquire your iPhones? Do you go straight through Apple or do you buy them second hand? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Mobile Unlocked
