As you point out, it doesn't require it.

Your comment is like complaining about luxury handbags when cheap ones exist too.

I don't know what you're suggesting. Companies shouldn't make expensive versions of things even when there are consumers who want to buy them?

You should also realize that it's people buying the expensive versions of things that helps subsidize the cheaper ones made by the same company. And it's the quality Apple is providing that even makes a secondhand market viable, because their devices last much more than other brands.

Well i would never have a 50,000 dollar bag (like those red-carpet people do), so why have a 1500 phone? Is it just a status symbol? A phone!