I don't think so.
A Mercedes will get you laid, the latest iphone won't and likely never will.
cell phones stopped being status symbols long before smart phones were created by apple and I don't see them going back to that.
Only because it’s a sign you have money, not because cars are cool.
> the latest iphone won't and likely never will.
When apple has a $5k iPhone it may once again become a status symbol.
Almost 50% of Americans have an iPhone of some version. It’s obviously not a status symbol of everyone has one. iPhones, like cars, are mostly undifferentiated.
Apple has a lot of room to build a status symbol, but admittedly they haven’t been too successful when trying with the Apple Watch, so I will admit the odds are low they’ll succeed, but I believe the market exists in the long run.
The other issue is copying it is too easy, so even if Apple tried the look of it would very quickly get copied.
Smartphones are present in ~85% of US households, and about 45% of US smartphone users have an iPhone; that’s significantly less than 50% of Americans with an iPhone.
Not having one might harm your chances, though.