All five of ours had iPhones for years. We didn't pay a lot for them because we went with a contract. The older kids would upgrade and then pass their older iPhones down to a younger sibling.

Then we discovered the awesomeness of Republic Wireless. My college kids still use their iPhones but they pay for the plans. The rest of us got the MotoX from Reoublic. $25 a month for unlimited talk, text, and data!

I think the notion of a $600 gadgets for a teenager is insane. (JMO, I recognize that I am in the minority on this.)

We won't do a contract for a phone. We all go month to month on virgin mobile. Both my teens have "dumb" phones that cost $30. My older kid tells me he might be the only kid in his entire (large) high school who doesn't have a smart phone. I'm okay with that.

Since I paid about $20 for mine, I sure am not going to pay a lot for a kid's phone!

$600 for unlock iPhone. She pays for service her money that she makes from tutoring and babysitting. She does not receive any allowances and this was her first phone (at age 14).