Have you heard of the marshmallow test before? Or the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment? It’s a test about one thing and one thing only. Delayed gratification and self-control.
It goes something like this. You give a child 1 marshmallow. He can eat it now or wait (~15 min) for the adult to return. If the child waits, then he is rewarded with 2 marshmallows instead of just 1. And it turns out this was a huge predictor of success later in life. Delayed gratification is important.
Yet, so is enjoying yourself. So today, we run this experiment ourselves. But not with marshmallows. Instead with iPhones. Does it make more sense to buy the new iPhone 16 coming out this month OR to invest in Bitcoin? Let’s find out.
Comparing with the iPhone 15
Before deciding if you would be better off with the iPhone 16 or Bitcoin, it makes sense to look at the iPhone 15. Both from a tech and specs POV and from the POV of investments. For purposes of this comparison, we will look at the middle version of 256 MB of storage. The phone debuted on September 15th, 2023, with its first orders fulfilled on September 22nd.
The cost for the 256GB model was $899. Here are some things the iPhone 15 does better than the 14:
Faster data transfer with the move to USB-C from Lightning. The Dynamic Island, which is more useful info in the front of your phone as apps run in the background, is a standard feature and not just on Pro models anymore. Big improvement in the camera. This is big with the Instagrammers and TikTokers. The more powerful A16 bionic chip is standard now instead of in Pro models only. The Emergency SOS w Satellite feature helps in emergencies and is available in more countries than the version used in the 14.
Are you buying the new iPhone 16?
Check out how the price of the iPhone has evolved in #Bitcoin over the years!
So that’s a lot of cool stuff we must admit. But there were some downsides too. They include:
New adapters, again. These companies always get us on those accessories costs, right? No design change for those looking for something sleek, new, or maybe improved from the 14 design. The battery life is no better in the 15 than in the 14.
So overall, to be fair, the 15 is a nice upgrade from the 14. It’s just not hugely better or with monumental upgrades from the 14 although the standard camera is better quality now.
ROI: iPhone 15 v Bitcoin
As I said at the top, we are comparing the mid-range iPhone 15 with Bitcoin. At launch in Sept 2023, it cost $899. Now let’s see what that $899 would look like if you had invested it instead.
Bitcoin was $26,561 on September 22nd, 2023, when you would have had to pay for your iPhone 15. Its current price is $57,120. That’s an ROI of 115%. So you more than doubled your money. If you didn’t have to have the latest iPhone, you could buy 2 iPhone 14 Plus models for $699 each and still have some money left over. You could almost buy 3 of them.
$899 at a 115% return gives us a total of $1933. 2 iPhone 14 Plus phones today are $1400. So you still have $533 left over just by waiting a year. Not bad right? And as you saw, there weren’t many big, life-changing changes in the shift from the 14 to the 15. Is getting it right now today at the newest worth it?
It’s exactly like the Marshmallow Experiment I mentioned at the top. Is the delayed gratification worth it to you? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Is the iPhone 16 Worth 2 iPhone 15s?
And now that you’ve seen what you could have done with your money a year ago instead of buying the iPhone 15, let’s ask the same question again. What is the iPhone 16 supposed to have that is better than the 15?
The price again will be $799 for the basic or $899 for the Plus or midrange model of storage options at 256GB. The projected improvements for the iPhone 16 are:
The chip is faster and with more memory. 8GB instead of 6 GB. AI support. New vertical camera. Spatial video quality for use with AR or VR headsets will be a big upgrade this time. Longer battery life. This is one I know people have been clamoring for. Faster wireless charge and some new color choices, too.
So you can see there are some differences between what the 15 has and what sample models of the 16 are showing us. The real question for you is how big a difference is this? With Bitcoin’s price at $57k, when we break out of this consolidation, it could easily go to $100k, which is almost double. And in less than a year that could happen.
If instead of a DCA of $75 per month to pay for your phone on payments, you instead bought Bitcoin over the next 12 months, would you feel a ton of FOMO? Really? Ask yourself this. Is it worth it to get the newest? Are you making money off your social accounts where better video and picture quality would mean more $$ in your pocket?
It’s the marshmallow test all over again. But this time for adults and with real consequences. So what are you going to do? Upgrade your phone? Or invest and maybe upgrade your whole standard of living, not just the piece of tech in your hand?
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Disclaimer
The information discussed by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. This is for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes only. Any information or strategies are thoughts and opinions relevant to the accepted risk tolerance levels of the writer/reviewers and their risk tolerance may be different than yours. We are not responsible for any losses you may incur due to any investments directly or indirectly related to the information provided. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk investments so please do your due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.
By Nermeen Nabil 
Nermeen Nabil Khear