Target “used smartphones”…a secret technique to “cut communication costs

With the double whammy of a weak yen and high prices weighing on household budgets, the iPhone has become a luxury item. The top-of-the-line “ProMax” 1TB model costs 289,300 yen, which is not a price you can easily afford.

Aim for the highest-cost “used smartphones”.

If you just want to watch videos or use social networking services, you don’t need a high-spec model. The best option is a used smartphone that is no longer in production. Among these, the “iPhone 8,” released in 2005, has been an exceptionally long seller. Mr. Hiroshi Takeda of Wave Dash, Inc., which operates the used smartphone website “Musubee,” says, “The ‘8’ is the most popular used smartphone on the market.

Mr. Hiroshi Takeda of Wave Dash, Inc., which operates a website specializing in used smartphones called “Musubee,” says, “The specifications of the iPhone 8 are such that it can still run basic applications without any problems. The size of the 8 is comfortable in the hand, and the home button on the bottom of the screen is also considered to be useful.

If you are looking for a more recent model, the “SE (2nd generation)” released in 2008 has a high cost performance. For Android, where prices are falling more quickly than elsewhere, it is also a good idea to target used high-end models from the past. The “Galaxy S10SC-03L,” which cost nearly 90,000 yen when it was released, can be purchased for less than 30,000 yen.

If you switch to a low-cost smartphone, you should also reevaluate your communication costs. In addition to the three major carriers, “sub-brands (carriers’ affiliates)” and “MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators),” or “low-cost SIMs,” are expanding their share of the smartphone communications market. According to cell phone journalist Junya Ishino, “A smartphone user’s monthly usage of a SIM is about $3,000.

The average monthly data usage of smartphone users is 9 GB, and the median is said to be 3 GB. It is thought that some heavy users are driving up the average, and those who utilize Wi-Fi connections at home or in the office are using less than expected. Then, if you choose an existing carrier, many people would be better suited to a small 1-3GB plan. For those who want to save even more money, we recommend considering a low-cost SIM.”

There are many different brands of low-cost SIMs, but which are the most user-friendly plans? Mr. Atsumu Ishikawa, a mobile phone journalist, points to “Aeon Mobile” as one of the best.

Aeon Mobile’s “Saiteki Plan” allows you to set your data usage in small increments, from 0.5GB to 10GB. Even if it is your first time switching to a low-cost SIM, you can sign up at an actual AEON store, so it is easy to discuss the appropriate plan with them.

Communication costs are essential, but they are the easiest fixed cost to cut. Let’s review it and get over the high cost of living.

Three major carriers’ “This is good enough” plans

Now is the time to switch to a “cheap SIM” plan.

Average price of used phones is the average price of those traded on “MUSBY”.
All prices include tax.

From the September 30 and October 7, 2022 issues of FRIDAY