On a price tag basis I also don’t recall Apple’s cheap days, and I’ve been here from the start. However on a value basis there has always been a good case that their excellent usability and build quality means you get more out of their products for much longer, therefore your money is stretched. In simpler terms: everyone is always out with pitchforks over the new iPhone’s cost, meanwhile tons of people are still on their iPhones from 6 generations back with no need to upgrade.