That is not the proposition. For $15/month savings her child will be ostracized at school because of the blue message box. Is it worth it?
Phones have outsized influence on our lives. A phone costs 1/10 as much as a car per month, but we spend more time with them, and most younger people today would rather give up their car than their phone.
Better screen quality will more than pay itself in optics prescriptions later in life. Batter quality photos you take today will stay with you for the remainder of our life, and past it. Longer battery life would mean avoiding a lot of unpleasant situations.
It seems to me like you are an expert on rationalizing expensive purchases. If that's unconscious, I think it would be good for you to bring it to conscious awareness.
While I disagree with your first paragraph, the other two are spot on. When comparing prices of tech products, people focus too much on the percentage difference, while the dollar difference is not that significant. Depending on the person making the purchase. Anybody who can afford a car could easily afford the most expensive smart phone for sale.
Phones have outsized influence on our lives. A phone costs 1/10 as much as a car per month, but we spend more time with them, and most younger people today would rather give up their car than their phone.
Better screen quality will more than pay itself in optics prescriptions later in life. Batter quality photos you take today will stay with you for the remainder of our life, and past it. Longer battery life would mean avoiding a lot of unpleasant situations.