What If You Invested Your iPhone MONEY?

Tony Robbins uses the iPhone to illustrate the difference between consuming and owning. Instead of only buying Apple’s products, he asks what could have happened if someone had invested an equivalent amount in Apple stock each time they purchased an iPhone.
Apple’s original iPhone launched in the U.S. on June 29, 2007, priced at $499 for the 4GB model and $599 for 8GB with a two-year contract. Apple stock subsequently appreciated dramatically, making the hypothetical ownership comparison compelling. Robbins’ larger point is about shifting from consumer spending toward asset ownership. Buying Apple shares means owning an economic interest in the company, while buying an iPhone purchases a depreciating consumer product with immediate practical value. Calculating the comparison accurately requires more than adding up phone prices. Each hypothetical investment needs the actual iPhone purchase date, amount invested, corresponding Apple share price, subsequent stock splits and treatment of dividends to determine the portfolio’s value.