It wasn’t that long ago that $100 and a two-year contract with your carrier bought you any phone you wanted. They weren’t the powerhouse flagship phones we have today, but they were still stylish, and some, like the Razr, were even flip phones. Carrier-exclusive models were everywhere, and it was more about getting you signed up with Cingular or Verizon for the long haul than worrying about the full cost of devices.
However, times changed, and smartphones got more advanced. And, like anything else in life, prices have gone up. In the last ten years, we’ve seen smartphone manufacturers come and go, but I wanted to highlight 5 devices and discover what they cost a decade ago. I’ve got samples from Samsung, Motorola, Google, and even OnePlus, and you’ll be surprised just how much prices have risen compared to the natural inflation we see in other product categories. Here’s a look back at smartphones from ten years ago, and how much they cost us at the time.
5
Samsung Galaxy Note
Never truly inexpensive
Samsung released the Galaxy Note 5 in August 2015. It was a significant departure from the Galaxy Note 4, as the Note 5 had a non-removable glass back, meaning users couldn’t swap batteries like they used to on older Notes. The Note 5 marked the end of user-removable batteries for Galaxy buyers in the US. The phone’s premium aesthetic came with a premium price tag. The Note 5 sold for $700 in 2015. It featured a 5.7-inch AMOLED display and was powered by an Exynos 7420 with 4GB of RAM.
Samsung streamlined its phone lineup after the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. However, the best comparison is the Galaxy S25 Ultra, as it still features the S pen and is the company’s most expensive, non-folding device. It retails for a hefty $1,300, almost $300 more than what a Galaxy Note 5 costs adjusted for inflation. Samsung devices have always been pricey, but even more so now.
4
Samsung Galaxy S
Slightly more in line
The Galaxy Note 5 wasn’t Samsung’s only major release for 2015. Earlier that same year, the company launched the Galaxy S6. It also featured a glass, non-removable back. It meant no more removable batteries for users, but it solved a complaint that Samsung phones didn’t feel premium. It had the same chipset as the Galaxy Note 5, but a smaller display and less RAM. The Galaxy S6 debuted for $680, placing it squarely in flagship territory for its time.
The best direct correlation is the Galaxy S25+. It’s what the Galaxy S line transformed into, and it’s Samsung’s most powerful traditional smartphone that doesn’t include an S pen. The base Galaxy S25+ will run you $1,000, less than $100 more than inflation would dictate. The S25+ is significantly more powerful, with plenty of outstanding capabilities, but Samsung hasn’t done a great job of keeping our wallets in mind.
3
Google Pixel
It was still a Nexus
If you wanted a stock Android experience in 2015, your best bet was a Nexus device. They had several different manufacturers, but they served as Google’s software pipeline to consumers until the Google Pixel was announced in 2016. It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact Nexus device that matches, but we can get an idea from the two released in 2015. The Nexus 5X was $380 and offered flagship specs for a lower price. The Nexus 5X launched with Android 6.0 and was powered by a Snapdragon 808. The Nexus 6P was a more premium alternative; it featured a metal body and beefed-up specs for $500.
The Google Pixel 9 series debuted for $800, with a Pixel 9 Pro XL starting at $1,100. Google’s smartphone philosophy changed beginning with the Google Pixel XL. The Nexus phones were similar to OnePlus, offering powerful hardware and stock software at an affordable price. In contrast, the later Pixel phones were Google’s attempt to match Apple and Samsung head-to-head with premium flagship devices. Still, the $380 Nexus would only cost $512 today.
2
Moto G
Midrange Motos have always been good deals
The 3rd generation Moto G was released in 2015 for $180. It featured a 5-inch 720p IPS LCD and 1GB of RAM in its base configuration. The Moto G was powered by a Snapdragon 410, a staple for midrange phones in the mid-2010s. I used a Snapdragon 400-series chipset on my Nokia Lumia 830. It had decent performance while still being power-efficient. The Moto G had a stylish design, with colorful curves available in several accent colors. Moto phones were fun, and the Moto G offered buyers an alternative to expensive flagship phones.
Thankfully, Motorola has kept the same spirit for its midrange and budget devices over the last 10 years. The current crop of Moto devices is excellent, and I love the Moto G Stylus 2025. Base Moto G devices haven’t gone much above $200, but even for something more elaborate like the Moto G Stylus 2025 at $400, you’ll find the company kept pace with inflation without blowing through it like Samsung.
1
OnePlus
Flagship killer used to mean price
Old-school OnePlus was as disruptive as you can imagine. The OnePlus 2 was a powerhouse for less and helped extend the company’s reputation as the flagship killer. The OnePlus 2 had a Snapdragon 810 chipset and 4GB of RAM, impressive specs for a phone with a $330 MSRP. It cost well less than the rival Samsung Galaxy S6, and as long as buyers were willing to step outside their comfort zone, they enjoyed a flagship phone that was wallet-friendly.
OnePlus maintains itself as a flagship killer, although the pricing has changed. The OnePlus 13 is still $300 less than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but instead of $330 vs. $680, it’s now $1,000 compared to $1,300 for the base S25 Ultra. The OnePlus 13 price paces well ahead of inflation, even though it’s made to seem reasonable thanks to Samsung’s pricing increases. Still, the OnePlus 13 is an excellent alternative for those who want to save some money and are tired of the same old from Samsung and Google, a feeling that’s still valid 10 years later.
Price increases are natural, but we’ve gone well beyond
Unlike video game consoles, smartphones more than kept pace with inflation over the last 10 years, with some manufacturers outpacing inflation by several hundred dollars. It’s interesting to look back at the flagships of yesteryear and determine the varying strategies, something you don’t see in 2025. Google used to be like OnePlus, focusing on powerful phones and stock software for less, while Moto has maintained its steady midrange value over the last decade. Folding phones and new technology will likely increase costs even further, but let’s hope the next decade doesn’t see the same price explosion as the previous one.
