Democracy Dies in Darkness

How to get that $1,100 iPhone for $727

Most Americans aren’t paying anywhere close to the sticker price for a top-tier iPhone. Thank the phone company.

September 19, 2023 at 12:30 p.m. EDT
A new phone box with stickers showing that the phone is on sale with icons showing the three major phone companies: T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
(Emma Kumer/The Washington Post; iStock)
7 min

This article is a preview of The Tech Friend newsletter. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Tuesday and Friday.

A top-tier iPhone is getting more expensive, but most people in America are paying less.

Thank the phone company.

Because of promotional discounts and other financial goodies from the three major mobile providers in the United States, a typical American has been paying nearly $400 less than the list price for a top-tier iPhone, according to an analysis by BayStreet Research.