Hurray! iPhone 14 Models are here! Apple just launched its highly anticipated iPhone 14 to millions of its affluent customers. At the event, Apple confirmed that the lineup will be available for pre-order on September 9, which is one week before official launch, a tradition Apple has upheld since iphone was invented. The announcement was greeted with so much joy. Pre-orders for new iPhone models typically open one week before launch, making Friday, September 16, automatically the date for the launch
The iPhone 14 lineup is expected to consist of a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 plus, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. According to Apple, iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are the most advanced Pro lineup ever, featuring Dynamic Island, a new design that introduces an intuitive way to experience iPhone, and the Always-On display. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, on the other hand, feature two sizes, 6.1 inches, and 6.7 inches in a sophisticated design with impressive camera upgrades and groundbreaking new safety capabilities. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus take stunning photos and video with a powerful camera system featuring new Main and front True Depth cameras, the Ultra-Wide camera for unique perspectives, and Photonic Engine for an enhanced image pipeline.
Craze Among African Youths
Several studies have shown iPhone to be a highly sought-after mobile device in modern times, with young people representing the largest group of its users. According to recent data from Counterpoint Research, “iPhone 13 generally emerged as the global best-selling smartphone with 5.5 percent of the market share in April 2022. iPhone 13 Pro Max, which was the most expensive iPhone handset in the market, emerged in second place with a 3.4 percent global market share.” Daniel Ruby, a content writer on Demandsage.com, noted that iPhones are generally most popular in the 16–34-year age group, and 51% of iPhone users are females while 49% are males. African youths are not exempted from this study. Teresa Clarke, the Chief Executive Officer of Africa.com, a news website, was once quoted by Black Enterprise magazine as saying that African youths use mobile phones for everything: communicating, listening to the radio, transferring money, shopping, mingling on social media, and more.
In Africa, iPhone is highly prized among young users, but just as it is said that ‘good things are not easy to come by,’ many users cannot afford it. In Nigeria, for example, at an exchange rate of $1/₦550 in 2021, the iPhone 13 128GB sold for about ₦650,000, the 256GB model sold for ₦795,000, the 512GB model sold for ₦850,000 while the 1TB model iPhone 13 Pro Max went for about ₦1,100,000. In South Africa where iPhone is said to enjoy the highest patronage in Africa, reports has it that the iPhone 13 Pro 128GB sold for about R23,499 ($1,640), while the iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB retailed for around R25,999 ($1,815). The high price margin of over 50%, is most likely influenced by the fact that an iPhone or iPod attracts 7% duties and 15% VAT in South Africa. The story is identical in other parts of Africa, so, one can comfortably say that the iPhone is for the financially privileged few. So the question is: why is iPhone still in high demand despite its cost? is it really worth the money or is it just for social status? does it give what other phones cannot give? these and more are the many questions that have continued to trail the craze behind iPhones, especially among African youths. It is not out of place to say that a lot of youths would prefer having an iPhone to paying their school fees. Here are some of the reasons African youths crave the iPhone:
Class
Because iPhone is relatively expensive, and most African societies do not have middle class, having an iPhone does create the false impression that you are rich. It is a status symbol, such that you are looked down on if you do not have one. Some women have a policy to never date any man who cannot afford an iPhone. Therefore, phone users would rather pay any amount just to be different from others, even when a common phone suffices for their communications needs. This is the rationale behind a youth buying an iPhone 13 or 14 Pro Max for a whopping sum of 1.2Million Naira instead of going for a less expensive phone in order to save up for the future.
Conformity & Prestige
Umar Sadiq, a Lecturer at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Niger State, central Nigeria, once attributed the iPhone craze among African female youths to high conformity biases. In a cycle where one member possesses an iPhone, the remaining feel less of themselves. In order to assume a sense of self-worth, they must then get one. It is prestigious for ladies to show off when they are gifted an iPhone by boyfriends. From their perspective, the gestures demonstrates care and romance. There is always going to be someone who is willing to buy one for a lady simply because it makes a special and loveable gift, and has the potential to make relationships more romantic. However, sometimes they gift themselves and pretend it is from a lover, just for the prestige.
Content Creation & Photos
Some of the best photos you see on social media were created using the iPhone. Ladies love photos, and they sometimes snap in front of a mirror just so the iPhone appears in the picture. The cameras are generally very amazing. The latest iPhone 14 Pro Max has a camera feature of 48MP (main), 12MP (Ultrawide), and 12MP (Telephoto). These amazing features provide iPhone users with extra functionalities. The telephoto and wide-lens cameras allow the device to take better pictures using a wide variety of angles and options such as zoom mode, portrait mode, and so on. The wide-angle lens takes standard wide-angle photos. Then, the ultra-wide lens introduced with the iPhone 11 Pro captures ultra-wide 120-degree images.
The iPhone is known to be responsible for some of the best skits we all watch on social media. In a recent interview, the popular comedian Brain Jotter, revealed that he uses the iPhone for most of his skits. For this reason, content creators, social media and picture lovers prefer the iPhone to any other phone.
Technical Features
Some serious-minded users of iPhones look out for strong features to accelerate their careers, studies and business.
Emphasising the amazing features of the new iPhone 14 models, Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing noted that “Both phones have a powerful new Main camera with a huge leap in low-light performance, advanced connectivity capabilities with 5G and eSIM, and the incredible performance of A15 Bionic, which helps enable even better battery life.
IPhones do have amazing battery life capable of around 300 to 400 complete battery cycles, or full charges before reaching 80% of its original capacity. This usually takes about two full years of iPhone use, which is why we tend to think of smartphones as having a two-year lifespan. All of these, tightly integrated with iOS 16, makes iPhone more essential than ever.”
Another feature which makes the iPhone quite attractive is security. This feature has won more users for Apple and it is even made more manifest in the iPhone 14 models launched for sale on September 16. The iPhone 14 models for the first time in the industry, introduced critical safety capabilities such as Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite. By this, a user can easily send a call for help via satellite during an emergency. For instance, upon connecting, your iPhone will ask you a few questions about your condition: Are you lost? Hurt? Are you alone, or is there someone with you? These are all to make sure that your iPhone contacts the appropriate service station to get you help. Apple’s App Store has fewer apps to offer and so is very careful with selecting which app developers gain access to the Apple ecosystem, a network of devices, apps, and developers. Getting apps that contain malware into the App Store is practically impossible.
Long-Term Value
Apple supports iOS devices for a relatively long time. This helps to keep it in shape and hold its resale value better than other devices. So one can either sell them for or get more for a trade-in when it’s time to upgrade.
User Experience
The iPhone provides a more user-friendly experience. The A15 Bionic chip with a 5-core GPU in the iPhone 14 models, for instance, offers incredible performance and efficiency for demanding workloads. iPhones may not have the most impressive specs, but they’re unbelievably easy to use. This could be the reason people of all ages are able to navigate its user interface, and consequently maximise its features.
The Apple iPhone remains the phone to beat. As mentioned earlier, it is relatively expensive, especially in regions where Pay Monthly deals do not exist. Hence it has become a status symbol in Africa, and contributes to the proliferation of some of the social vices among young people–corporate prostitution a.ka. “runs” which the the young woman, who does not have anyone to gift her, would rather do to have one; the young boy, who needs to “belong” or has been rejected because he could not afford an iPhone, would engage in criminal activities such as robbery, ritual killings and internet fraud. The older rich ones–sugar daddies and mummies–do not help matters, as the iPhone is often used to lure younger people into bed. Does the iPhone do more harm than good in Africa?