Lost in translation.
What is NZ $1000 in USD? More or less? We used to be able to count on USD being more - but not any longer - but I bet YOU know if it is less or more. A *real* expensive cell phone here is $500-800 USD. They don't (and can't) go much higher than that.
How can you say there shouldn't be a new cycle? I'm an IT engineer - although right now I "manage". When a device runs out of warranty, that is end of life-cycle for me. I can renew the support contract, but it is generally a losing proposition to do so. The processor cores, the memory, the disk subsystem, they are hopeless outdated by the time the support contract runs out. The renewal is outrageously expensive compared to what I can end-of-life the server for, replacing it with cutting edge technology with a CPU with more cores, more memory and a better I/O subsystem and a new 3 year gold-level service contract. I *know* it is planned obsolescence - but it is logical obsolescence, all the same. If this applies to my enterprise class mission critical servers - why shouldn't it apply to my consumer grade business mobile devices as well?
I'm just curious.
