I literally thought I knew what the prices were until I read this article. I saw the "from $699" and "knew" it meant the cheapest model (the mini) was $699. Turns out I was wrong. I was wrong because they mislead me. Knowing the truth matters for me both in purchasing decisions and in recommendations to others, which I do a lot of.

The problem is a lazy media. The headline becomes “$699.”

I don’t think so. I wasn’t looking at media. I was looking at Apple content. Is the lowest priced iPhone $699? No it isn’t. What exactly does “from $699” mean when the cheapest one is actually $729?

It’s death by a thousand cuts. There is no way a consumer can win and be able to make effective choices in this environment.