Android device prices have been dropping like a rock over the last four years, as seen in newly released information by the International Data Corporation.
The IDC is just one firm engaged in constantly monitoring mass amounts of information regarding smartphones as well as their performance and pricing. The company's recent report, compiled by Statista, details the smartphone's average price based on the operating systems Android and iOS.
The results show that the iPhone, which solely runs iOS, costs about $650, or double the price of the average smartphone that runs Android, which is about $280.
Though the difference is startling, it does not tell the entire story of the industry today.
Android covers a wide majority of the market share worldwide, accounting for 78 percent of smartphones shipped in 2013. Most of the phones running the OS are not as high-end as the iPhone, instead ranging from low- to mid-range devices with stats that - at best - are equal to those of the iPhone 5C.
Moto G, for instance, is a cheap but high-tier mobile phone that costs a fraction of price of comparable devices. The flagship phone of Motorola, Moto X, likewise dropped its priced down to around $300.
In the end, these figures are not necessarily relevant to anyone with a two-year phone plan that offers a top-notch smartphone at a lower price than your average Android device. However, keep in mind that these costs go into your monthly bill and that a cheaper smartphone could mean you may not be forced to lock yourself into a contract to afford a mobile phone.
