Phone companies sell virtual storage: Why pay more for less space?

In Warsaw, during a quiet moment, a user of the iPhone 15 Pro, purchased for $1000 with 128GB storage, received a familiar message saying "Storage Full." This phone, meant to ensure peace of mind and freedom of use, had secured its place among top devices in the market, yet it couldn't escape this common issue. The real surprise was that mid-range phones offer higher storage capacities, like the $280 CMF Phone 2 Pro with double the storage, or the $400 Motorola Edge 60 with 512GB, raising questions about the significant price differences for specifications. Upon closer examination, the manufacturing cost difference between 128GB and 512GB doesn't exceed $10, yet companies ask users to pay an extra $250 for storage upgrades! This reveals a calculated pricing policy aimed at increasing profits at the expense of consumers, raising the question: Why don't these companies offer larger storage capacities in mid-range phones? The simple answer: the camera. Major companies understand that the camera is the primary feature users are willing to pay a high price for in flagship phones. Hence, advanced cameras and zoom lenses are exclusively reserved for the most expensive phones, depriving cheaper phones of them despite their components not being costly. However, the issue isn't just about the camera or storage; it's about a business model based on "artificial scarcity." If you want an excellent camera, you must buy a flagship phone, and if you want sufficient storage, you must pay more. Ultimately, users pay more than necessary, not due to rising technology costs, but because companies implicitly agree to maximize profits by controlling specifications. The optimal solution for consumers seems simple but not easy: Buy a phone that suits your actual needs, pay once for the appropriate storage capacity, then keep it for as long as possible without needing upgrades or additional payments that don't align with the real benefits users receive.