How can people in poor countries like Russia and in Africa afford smartphones?

[anveena]

Cheap smartphones exist.

[Trassk]

Ever heard of recycled electronics op? That's where poorer countries get them from.

But sounds to me like you live in a bubble if you think the only rational way of acquiring a phone is to pay $1000 for one for each person. My android smartphone only costs me £20 a month

[Themius]

Some smart phones are quite affordable. They aren’t all absurdly priced like a iPhone.

of Samsung, or lg, or Motorola, or any flagship of any major manufacturer of any phone... this is not special to apple, idk why people are ignoring the 1500-2k phones Samsung is thinking of while thinking 1k iPhone is beyond comprehension lol.

You can buy quite a few older model iPhones for 100-200.

[beanman12345]

Smartphones can be quite cheap. I got my lg for 60$ can get a smartphone for less than half that even. The vast majority of the world doesn't need the bells and whistles of a 1500$ folding smart phone or 1000$ iphone whatever. and you don't have to spend a lot on monthly phone bills either.

[Bryntrollian]

When you take out the 60-70% profit margin, those new Smartphones start looking a lot more affordable, even more so when you look at comparable Chinese offerings with practically the same performance. And, that's not even taking into account the older recycled devices that are still perfectly capable and in mass circulation.

[Ayirasi]

Some countries have mini marts that sell smart phones for $100 or less. They're not great, but for the price they're OK.

[Lex Icon]

same way i've had one for years in a western country without paying a dime. tharr be plenty of fools ready to pay in your stead. i'm not even tech savvy and i'm pretty sure they benefit way more than i do.

[Gadion]

Can't speak for all people in Africa, or even South Africa, but you do know there are different levels of smartphone, right? Most of us don't go for the high-end models. No need for super shiny with all the bells and giggles.

Most working class people can take a mid-range phone on a monthly contract and pay it over 2 years. That's the arrangement my service provider gives its customers. Around $30 a month in my particular contract.

There are also many who actually can't afford that, and more modest handsets are quite common.

Smartphones aren't a luxury either, but more or less a necessity. Infrastructure is quite lacking in most areas, so mobile communication is the only reliable method of getting information or making arrangements, such as looking for employment.

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You do know Africa is an entire continent right? as well as super poor countries there are also countries like South Africa (a former British colony and actually a first world country) and countries like Egypt and Libya.

Perhaps South Africa may have been decent in the past, but the past decade has seen a rapid deterioration. We have settled into being just another hell-hole, absolutely not first world. Our economy has been torn to shreds during Zuma's two terms in office, and the corruption and mismanagement are showing badly. The country is in a dire state, and the crime is getting out of hand. Xenophobia and looting are the new reality

The way things are going, we won't be able to afford luxuries like electricity, bread or water soon

[Dwarfhamster]

I don’t think the responses were the types that the OP was thinking he would get.

[Spectral]

You can buy quite a few older model iPhones for 100-200.

My wife is going to keep sticking with the SE as long as she possibly can to avoid the size bump. Looks like those are right in the price range you reference and it seems to do pretty much anything you actually need.

[smityx]

I like how OP assumes that we're not allowed any small "luxury" items in life if we're poor. I also find it interesting how he ties it to poor countries, and then goes further to mention Africa.
Would you rather all of us poor people communicated with smoke signals? Is that denigration enough, in atonement for the sin of being born in a poor country?

EDIT: Also, that the OP thinks it's unfair to him that poor people in poor countries can have nice things adds the little extra to it. Keep kicking down, you coward.

It's worse than that. I remember a couple years ago a politician complaining about poor people getting help when they had things like refrigerators and other basics like that.

[Aenigma84]

How the fuck is it possible for them to be able to afford smartphones, when they only make like $500 total per month at most!?
When even people in Africa have so many smartphones, it is obvious that it is absolutely unfair bullshit, considering one costs over $1000 here.

It's beyond ridiculous that every third world ref coming to Western Europe has one, while many of those who lived here their entire life can't even fucking afford one.

i think your overgeneralizing

third world countries are countries like bangladesh or yemen
not countries like egypt or kazachstan

a real third world country earns maybe 50 dollars a month not 500
and you wont see many phones in a third world country at all


unles you go by the original and historic definition of third world during the cold war
in wich case it has nothing to do with economics but with politics
(first world = west +allies secund world = USSR+allys+china and third world neutral countries)
if we go by that definition then finland/sweden/swiss and arabians(saudi) and so on would probably have no issue buying smartphones

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Can't speak for all people in Africa, or even South Africa, but you do know there are different levels of smartphone, right? Most of us don't go for the high-end models. No need for super shiny with all the bells and giggles.

Most working class people can take a mid-range phone on a monthly contract and pay it over 2 years. That's the arrangement my service provider gives its customers. Around $30 a month in my particular contract.

There are also many who actually can't afford that, and more modest handsets are quite common.

Smartphones aren't a luxury either, but more or less a necessity. Infrastructure is quite lacking in most areas, so mobile communication is the only reliable method of getting information or making arrangements, such as looking for employment.

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Perhaps South Africa may have been decent in the past, but the past decade has seen a rapid deterioration. We have settled into being just another hell-hole, absolutely not first world. Our economy has been torn to shreds during Zuma's two terms in office, and the corruption and mismanagement are showing badly. The country is in a dire state, and the crime is getting out of hand. Xenophobia and looting are the new reality

The way things are going, we won't be able to afford luxuries like electricity, bread or water soon

http://worldpopulationreview.com/cou...rld-countries/

it may be deteriorating
but south africa is stil not close to a third world country when countries like Kongo arent even classed as third world anymore

[Raetary]

Because

1) they are not poor as you think they are, especially russia
2) cheap smartphones exist

[InTheEnd]

Because "charity" is one of the biggest scams to ever exist. "Millions die each day due to starvation and malnutrition" yet the all these poor families have like 5-6 children (and their children have as many when they grow up), and the global population only keeps increasing. How is this possible?

[ldev]

Cheap smartphones exist.

This. Not everyone needs or can afford 1.2k eur iPhone. For my little sister I gifted Xiaomi Mi 9 SE - 286 eur, pretty good phone if you can stand android.

[Moe Szyslak]

Because "charity" is one of the biggest scams to ever exist. "Millions die each day due to starvation and malnutrition" yet the all these poor families have like 5-6 children (and their children have as many when they grow up), and the global population only keeps increasing. How is this possible?

Because they need the workforce of the 5 - 6 children to survive. Please educate yourself before spouting such nonsense.

Additionally, the population increase is mostly halted:

[Lochton]

How the fuck is it possible for them to be able to afford smartphones, when they only make like $500 total per month at most!?
When even people in Africa have so many smartphones, it is obvious that it is absolutely unfair bullshit, considering one costs over $1000 here.

It's beyond ridiculous that every third world ref coming to Western Europe has one, while many of those who lived here their entire life can't even fucking afford one.

Russia... poor country?

Naw, you are getting wrong on that.

As well, many companies get used phones from 'richer' countries, other countries just creates a new brand and call it theirs and so on.

And if you talking about refugees, they get a small starting fond to get started on, many use it for clothes and such, others phones and cars - and some other western countries can't block them from taking loans for they appear as 'clean' in the debt registry and thus they take a loan for a phone too.

And well, don't bye 1000 dollar phones..

[Yunru]

Also add smuggling of stolen phones on list.

[InTheEnd]

Because they need the workforce of the 5 - 6 children to survive. Please educate yourself before spouting such nonsense.

If you can't afford to have children, don't have children. If you can't afford one child without turning them into slaves then refrain from having any. It's an easy concept to understand. Don't live beyond your means!

And contrary to the opinions of self-righteous liberals who spout shit like "Earth could fit 50 billion humans", the planet is struggling with our current numbers and access to fresh drinking water and other resources remains troubling.

[Hanzo Hasashi]

That's like asking "How come not all Arabs are terrorists?" or "How come not all Americans are fat?".