Apple’s 128GB iPhones remain an insult to our wallets

Apple today took the wraps off the iPhone 16. (And a whole bunch of other stuff, too.) And by nearly every account it’s going to be one hell of a device. No way it couldn’t be, right?

Well, there’s still one way: The iPhone 16 starts with 128GB of on-board storage. And let’s be perfectly clear: Unless you intend on buying that low-end option for someone who’s barely going to use it — not install many apps, or take many picture or video — it shouldn’t even enter the discussion.

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I know, because I made that mistake. I have two teenage daughters. Four years ago I bought them each an iPhone 12. Seeing as how iPhones (and teenage daughters) aren’t inexpensive, I opted for the cheapest options at 128GB of storage.

I should have known better. I did know better, actually. And, yet, I did things on the cheap and broke my own rule — always buy more storage if it’s not something you can upgrade later. That was true then, and it’s just as true today with the iPhone 16 and all its variants.

Let’s not put too fine a point on it: Do not buy an iPhone with only 128GB of storage. Here’s what happens when you run out of space: You can’t load new apps. You can’t take more pictures. You can’t shoot more video. And your kid will de-prioritize the things that are important to you — communications and safety — and emphasize the things that are important to them. Mainly, TikTok and Snapchat and maybe Instagram.

Somewhere, someone is saying that what Apple should do is drop the 128GB model and lower the starting price for the 256GB option. It might well do that at some point, but not because someone with a keyboard said so. It’ll do it if and when it becomes in Apple’s financial best interest. And right now that interest is to have phones that range from $799 to a whopping $1,599.

Here’s how they all break down:

128GB
256GB
512GB
1TB

iPhone 16
$799
$899
$1,099
—

iPhone 16 Plus
$899
$999
$1,199
—

iPhone 16 Pro
$999
$1,099
$1,299
$1,499

iPhone 16 Pro Max
—
$1,199
$1,399
$1,599

As for which to get? Well, that’s still up to you. (But note that high-end games won’t need the Pro model this time around!)

It’s basic math, even if we don’t know the answer. Apple knows it needs to sell a certain amount of phones at certain prices. And it knows how much each version costs to make. (And market, and all that other stuff.)

And that’s why there’s still a 128GB option for an iPhone 16 in 2024 — even if it’s an option you almost certainly should ignore.

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