It’s iPhone launch day today, which I would usually greet with some meditation on the expected features or design of the new device and how it fits into the wider competitive field. This year, however, I want to zoom out rather than in. Because no matter how much or how little the iPhone changes today, no matter how awful its new naming scheme, we can all be certain that Apple will sell tens of millions of its 2018 iteration before the year is through. It’s this apparent inevitability to Apple’s commercial success that I find fascinating.

In its 11 years of existence, the iPhone has grown into one giant contradiction.

On one hand, especially after last year’s price increase for the flagship model, the iPhone is a luxury item. People save…

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