Los Angeles, CA, USA — The global economy continues to struggle. COVID policies stretched central banks, and governments printed money at rates never seen before. U.S. inflation soared, topping 7% in 2022. Meanwhile, gas prices doubled at the pump. U.K. consumers face similar challenges as inflation bears on their wallets and wages, draining their savings as they scramble to stay afloat. Energy prices have more than doubled, as have grocery prices, stretching already difficult budgets of low and middle-income earners. The outlook is grim, inflation is expected to continue increasing, and energy prices may increase following further price cap reviews later this year. Mobile airtime contracts have also gotten more expensive. Generally pinned to the CPI, network providers pass fluctuating costs onto customers.
Further, the market for second-hand devices is booming. Users are paying more than ever for used mobiles. Of course, sellers benefit from rising prices, receiving more money for their unwanted mobiles. Not only that, but savvy consumers could also ‘supercharge’ their existing devices, reducing their monthly outgoings and avoiding hefty roaming charges on much-needed family vacations.
Let’s discuss the growth of iPhone ownership and airtime contracts before revealing one simple tip that could save struggling households globally a ton of cash every month. In truth, the smartphones we know and love today were born in 2007. Before this, phones were mostly practical, product design and usability took a backseat to function. Having set up his California-based tech company several decades earlier in 1976, Steve Jobs took the stage at MacWorld—an information technology trade show dedicated to Macintosh—and announced Apple would release a smartphone. Features we take for granted now as ‘must-haves’ on any smartphone were then revolutionary to iPhone. The company’s first device was a cellular mobile with a high-resolution touchscreen and an onboard processor and operating system capable of running apps.
The iPhone was immediately popular because its powerful operating system offered unparalleled functionality. By 2008, iPhone sales were up a whopping 350%, decimating Nokia, who had led the market for some time. Interestingly, by 2010 China’s economic revolution facilitated unprecedented growth for its domestic manufacturers. By 2018, Huawei had overtaken Apple by unit sales. Nevertheless, by 2019 Apple’s dominance was reinvigorated. In 2010, the company sold around 40 million units. By 2020 this had skyrocketed to more than 200 million units each year, amassing revenues of nearly 70 billion dollars. As of 2022, around 1 billion people regularly use an iPhone, totaling around 26% of global smartphone ownership.
Apple waved in a revolution, kickstarting the era of smartphones as accessories. Owning an iPhone was ‘cool.’
Fanatics queued for hours to purchase the latest device. Apple began regularly updating its devices, releasing new models almost yearly. More people not only wanted to own devices but also wanted to refresh their devices more regularly than ever. To facilitate this demand, network providers began offering customers contracts, allowing them to purchase ‘locked’ devices and spread the cost over many months, paying two separate bills—one for their usage and the other for their device. While this satisfied the need for smartphone ownership, locked iPhones have created issues for consumers, making ownership more expensive, resale less valuable, and traveling more cumbersome. It need not be this way, though, things have changed, and you can get more out of your iPhone now.
How To Get The Most Out of Your iPhone
As demand for iPhones has grown, as has the number of people owning iPhones globally. Thus, the market has expanded ferociously, becoming infinitely more competitive than a decade earlier. Initially, only large established network providers with substantial resources were able to set up shop; these businesses helped construct infrastructure and continue to be global entities. With this comes large overheads which need covering. While this was accepted previously, today, many small companies offering only airtime and data packages can offer identical packages at dramatically reduced costs. These businesses rarely sell devices, nor do they lock customers in.
However, if your iPhone is locked, you’ll be unable to use these SIM-only packages. With a simple device unlock, you could save hundreds on your data and airtime package each year. Buyers are also aware of this flexibility, so private and corporate buyers will pay up to 30% more for an unlocked device. Why stick to one network when you can choose as you see fit from a host of competing businesses. So, whether you want to improve the sale value or make your device more flexible once out of contract, an unlock a no-brainer.
The flexibility does not stop there, though. More people than ever frequently travel. Post-COVID, frequent business or personal travel was commonplace for almost everybody in the Western world. As dependence on smartphones increases—the number of applications we rely on grows daily—using your data abroad can be incredibly expensive. Even if you remain in your contract, unlocking your device for foreign travel is a big win. Once unlocked, travelers can locate a local store, purchase a domestic prepaid SIM and continue using their data and airtime without roaming charges.
Previously, unlocking an iPhone was a major headache; however, this is not the case anymore. Today, companies like DirectUnlocks have sought to make unlocking simple. So, if you want to know how to unlock iPhone devices, all you need to do is visit DirectUnlocks. All that is required is your IMEI number. Once you’ve entered the IMEI number into the website, DirectUnlocks will be able to unlock your device remotely, often within just 6 hours without you ever even leaving your house. Make the most of your smartphone today with this simple unlocking trick.
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Company Name – Direct Unlocks
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