If you’re anything like me, you’d be rightly surprised if a phone manufacturer sells different phones under the exact same name, as if they were the exact same phone… Ideally, of course, there should be no differences between a Galaxy 22 or iPhone 14 that you’re looking at. North America and the same phone sold in Europe, UK or elsewhere.
Speaking of Samsung, I’ve written several stories expressing my disapproval of the company’s bizarre decision to give Galaxy flagships in North America and South Korea Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, while the rest of the world is left with some leftovers. the generally inferior Exynos-powered proves to be Samsung flagship phones.
Most recently, in a series of interesting twists and turns, North America and Samsung’s home country were joined by India, South Africa, and the UAE, and now these regions are offering Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S22 models. However, buyers in the UK and Europe (one here!) will still have to settle for the Exynos 2200 chip in what should be the same Galaxy S22, S22+ and S22 Ultra flagships. Reportedly, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S23 series will stick to a similar strategy.
And now, to my surprise, Apple is pulling us a Samsung! No, there are no different chips that the iPhone 14, but there are now enough differences between iPhones sold in North America and those in the rest of the world to ask a fair question… Is Apple now following in Samsung’s footsteps?
Cheaper US iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models have more features than more expensive iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro sold in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world?
Apple Gives – Apple Takes! The satellite connection feature of iPhone 14 is exclusive to the US, but Americans lose the physical SIM card and are forced to switch to eSIM.
To get straight to the point, here’s how: iPhone 14 and The iPhone 14 Pro models sold in North America are different from those sold in the rest of the world.
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models sold in the US have features such as:
- Satellite connectivity for sending emergency messages over a satellite connection when you don’t have 4G/5G coverage – a potentially life-saving feature
- Virtual ID and Virtual Driver’s License (Available in select US states such as Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Mississippi, Ohio and the Territory of Puerto Rico and extending)
- Three-dimensional city view from Apple Maps, available in select US and Canada (expandable)
Sorry, US buyers! iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models sold in the EU and UK offer features not found on US iPhone 14 models
Speaking of differences in iPhones sold around the world, you may know that the US iPhone 14s don’t have a SIM card tray now. This means that buyers in the US should be willing to switch to using an electronic SIM (eSIM) through their carrier.
However, this is not the case for people based outside the US, who finally have something to brag about. So yeah — it turns out that Apple’s regional division isn’t working too well for US buyers either, serving as a pilot study for Apple’s early-adoption-type features/or lack thereof.
iPhone 14 features available worldwide are not available to iPhone 14 buyers in the US:
- iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro sold outside the US have a SIM card tray and support for eSIM, meaning international buyers now have a lot more flexibility when it comes to using foreign SIM cards when traveling around the world (eSIM isn’t available everywhere). supports the world)
- In some countries where required by law, iPhone 14 ships with a charger in the box – Brazil recently fined Apple $2.34 million for selling iPhones without a charger
unfair? iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are priced significantly higher in the UK, Europe and other parts of the world than in the US
USB-C mandate revenge? iPhone 14 prices in Europe (and the UK) are through the roof! US prices – unchanged.
Now, this argument may seem a little different from the general “same phone with different features” tone of the story, but it’s arguably more important than all of the above. That’s because the price of a product, including the iPhone, plays a big role in its perceived value to customers. You want to get more/the best for your money. Or ideally the same as everyone else.
If I told you: “Here’s the new iPhone 14 Pro with an improved camera system, faster processor, better screen and a new Dynamic Island – for the same price as last year’s iPhone 13 Pro”, you would be buzzing! But if I told you, “Here’s the new iPhone 14 Pro with an improved camera system, faster processor, better screen and a new Dynamic Island – only 25% more expensive compared to last year”, wouldn’t you be buzzing so much?
What strikes me, however, is that iPhones sold in some parts of the world are now much cheaper than iPhones sold elsewhere. In some cases it makes no sense and it almost feels like Apple is making the rest of the world pay so that the price of the iPhone in North America and China can remain unchanged…
- In the UK, iPhone 14 prices have risen by an average of 15%, as the cheapest iPhone 14 now costs £850. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max cost a whopping £1,100 and £1,200 (from £950 and £1,050)
- In some European countries, such as Poland, iPhone prices are skyrocketing – the iPhone 14 is now 24% more expensive than last year’s iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 Pro costs 25% more and the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 26 % in view of price increase. Poland is not nearly as economically developed as other countries in Central and Western Europe
- In Germany, the price increase is similar to the UK as I would have to pay an extra €200 for a Pro Max iPhone compared to 2021, while in France and Italy people would have to pay close to €1,500 for the same phone that costs “just” $ 1,100 in the US – the same as last year (which is also the case in Canada, China and Australia)
Of course, I’m not a financial expert, and I certainly keep in mind that taxes are not included in the price of iPhones sold in the US. However, the average sales tax in the United States comes in at about 7.5%, which doesn’t make iPhones much more expensive — certainly not as much as a 26% price increase. And that’s for states where taxes are a thing…
Hey, Samsung and Apple, we want one phone for everyone! Also… Make it cheaper if you can?
Google wins! Quite.
Anyway, the idea behind this story is to show that Samsung isn’t the only company to give its flagship phones different features based on location (your phone’s chip affects all areas of its performance and thus features).
Sure, Apple is the “lesser evil” in this story, and we could talk all day about how Cupertino treats different customers and even phones. For example the new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus are now significantly easier to repair, while the more expensive Pro models are not. We could also talk about Apple’s divisive pricing strategy for the iPhone 14 series, but we’re not going to change anything, are we…
I think my call is for one phone for everyone, Samsung and Apple! It’s probably stupid of me to ask for cheaper iPhones anywhere in the world, but I can certainly ask that they are the same, right? Sure, some features, like satellite connectivity, could be a matter of local regulations and a hassle that Apple might not be ready for at this point, but in that case it’s fair to focus so much of the iPhone 14’s marketing on a feature that doesn’t. only available to 4.25% of the world’s population?
It’s impossible that adventurers around the world won’t be shocked to find that their iPhone 14 doesn’t support satellite connectivity after purchasing it, and after delving into the marketing hype surrounding this futuristic feature that… is in their region.