Only days after a report revealed that an iPhone XS Max exploded in a man's trouser pocket, an iPhone is once again the bearer of bad news. There is a running joke in the industry that one would have to sell a kidney to afford an iPhone. But a Chinese kid took this in a literal sense when he traded one of his kidneys so he could buy an iPhone 4.
The event took place seven years ago, when Xiao Wang who was then 17-years-old wanted to own an iPhone he couldn't afford so bad that he sold his kidney. According to Oriental Daily, Wang obtained as much as $3,200 (¥22,000 or Rs 2,23,300) for his kidney, which was more than enough to buy a brand-new iPhone 4 at the time.
Seven years have passed since and Wang's desire to own an iPhone at any cost got the better of him. Being an illegal act, Wang had to undergo a surgery in an underground hospital in China, which assured him of care and normal life with just one surgery. The repercussions from the unhygienic clinic deteriorated Wang's health condition.
The wounds from the surgery hadn't been healed properly, resulting in an infection and eventually affecting the other kidney too. But Wang's health condition didn't come to light before it was too late and requires lifetime dialysis. Not to mention Wang is now permanently disabled and his parents, who found out of the missing kidney later, are now struggling to support the treatment financially.
The report also noted that the illegal hospital that performed the surgery on Wang was brought to justice and the family reportedly received monetary compensation from the court. But there's no compensation for Wang's lost youth and lifetime disability.
Who is to be blamed here - Apple, the young adult or the illegal clinic that manipulated Wang? It's unfair to blame to the high price tags of iPhones as the company has maintained the premium pricing strategy for years. Such an incident serves a warning for parents to know what their kids are up to and legal authorities crack down on such illegal hospitals stringently.
Teens and young adults must not be tempted by the lure of cutting-edge technology and the desire to follow the trend at any cost. A survey from PiperJaffery revealed that 82 percent of kids aged 16 expect their next phone to be iPhone in 2017, and this is a trend that doesn't get older by the day. Parents and mentors must reach out to teens in a way they understand the repercussions of taking such drastic steps in life.
