The other day I saw this post from @thebasicappleguy reminding us of the launch plans for the original iPhone back in 2007.
It got me thinking — what does that $60/month actually look like in 2025 dollars? Rollback to 2007, it wasn’t cheap. The plan? $60/month got you:
450 voice minutes 200 text messages Unlimited data (on 2G EDGE!)
Inflation Brings Perspective
Using a basic U.S. inflation calculator, that $60/month iPhone plan in 2007 would cost about $93/month today.
That feels kind of crazy. Because for around $90 today, you’re getting way more than just 450 minutes and a couple hundred texts.
So, In Theory Are We Getting More Value in 2025?
For that same $90/month — or less — most people now get:
Unlimited talk and text Unlimited 5G data (often 100–300 Mbps) Mobile hotspot access Roaming in many countries Streaming perks (depending on your carrier)
What $90 Gets You Today
Verizon Unlimited Ultimate – Around $90/month
AT&T Unlimited Premium – Roughly $85/month T-Mobile Go5G Next – Also around $90/month, includes international data
How did the Phone do with Inflation?
The original iPhone launched at $499 for 4GB or $599 for 8GB. Adjust that for inflation and you’re looking at:
4GB model ≈ $774 today
8GB model ≈ $929 today
Today’s base iPhone 16 starts at $799. For the Pro models, you’re around $999–$1,199 so for a flagship phone the value is about the same.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to look at phone bills and think, “Wow, this is getting expensive.” But zoom out a bit and the math tells a different story. Not only are you getting way more — faster data, unlimited everything, and you’re paying less than you were in the early days.