The analysts from investment banking juggernaut UBS did a fun little research the other day, trying to gauge income disparity across the world with the common denominator of... an iPhone X.
More specifically, they calculated how many hours people have to work to get Apple's latest and greatest phone in many different countries, and the results are pretty breathtaking in some places.
The Swiss have it best, as the average worker in Zurich has to bust their chops for only five days on average to get the $999 iPhone X, while the average salaried individual in Lagos, Nigeria, will have to duke it out with life's important choices for 133 days, before they scrape a grand together.
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New Yorkers have it well, though, with 7 days tops, while a capital dweller in Beijing has to work about a month for an iPhone X. People in Moscow have to extend that month of work into five weeks of cubicle heroics to get the goods, while most of Western Europe can get it for only a week or two.
No wonder that the top Chinese brands, which currently represent the best value for money in the smartphone industry, are all the rage in developing, and even middle-income countries - the streets of Marrakech are littered with little Oppo or Vivo shops, and Israel has splashy billboards along its highways declaring Xiaomi a wise purchase.
The average city salaries across 15 professions in were taken for the study's methodology, so rich kids aren't in the mix.
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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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