Thanks to their range of innovative and aesthetically pleasing products, it would be an understatement to say that Apple have a dedicated following. From the late 1970s, the pioneering products that were devised by Steve Jobs and company, set them apart from the competition, and put them head and shoulders above. In devising products that people didn’t know they needed, and supporting their release with clever marketing plans, they were able to acquire a customer base that was not just loyal to the brand, but in many cases, fanatical about it.
Because people lust after these products, it allows them to have a higher value and this premium price means that it so much more difficult to find a good deal. Perhaps that is why the popularity of Android products seems to be increasing, with phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 even topping iPhone sales for the first time last year. However, this was short lived and the figures speak for themselves. Apple currently have around 20% of the market share of smartphones with just one model being on offer, and are raking in around 70% of the smartphone profits. Samsung have around 30% of the market share, but have a range of different devices available in all kinds of price ranges, and no where near the profits. People define themselves as Apple users, whereas the Samsung brand doesn’t enjoy the same pedestal status at present.
However, all is not lost for Apple fans on a budget. There are ways of getting your hands on Apple iPads, iPods, iPhones and Macs without having to remortgage your house.
Patience
Patience is a virtue, and that is particularly the case when seeking an Apple deal. Get yourself caught up in the frenzy of a new product release and you may as well set fire to your wallet. Hang on in there for a few months, on the other hand, and the deals start to gradually appear. As long as iPhones remain neck and neck with the latest Samsung offering, you are certain to catch them trying to boost their sales by offering a discount once sales on the product start to dwindle.
The additional bonus of shopping for your i-gadgets in this laid back fashion is that you get to see all the reviews, find out what the issues are and wait for them all to be fixed before you make your purchase. This also allows you to make a more considered purchase.
Buying from Authorised Retailers
If you go to the Apple store for your Apple product, you will be quoted the Apple prices for it. However, if you go to an authorised retailer of Apple, such as Amazon, then you are likely to find a better deal. If you are looking to use the latest discount code for a particular store against the latest iPhone model, make sure that you check the terms and conditions, as you will often find they are excluded in the small print.
Trading in the Old for the New
One way of making the purchase of brand new Apple models to be more accessible, is by trading in your old model for cash. There are plenty of services that you can use, but take care to shop around as their prices differ wildly. The apple store, through Dataserv, will offer £220 for a working iPhone 4S 16GB, whereas Recycle UR Phone quote just £185. Go with the O2 recycling service and you can get £248.94 worth of Amazon vouchers for the same model.
Over the coming months, we are going to keep our eyes peeled for the latest deals, and will be particularly interested to follow the price movements of the iPhone 5. Bookmark this page and we will keep you informed of our progress.
