Customers are aware that most of the faults that arise in their mobile

Question

Customers are aware that most of the faults that arise in their mobile phones are due to the excessive exposure of these phones to moisture or water. Accordingly, engineers at Talkit Inc. have developed a water-resistant phone that can stay underwater for at least 30 minutes without any resultant damage to either its hardware or software. However, since the manufacturing cost of the phone is anywhere between 25-30% more than that of an ordinary phone, trade analysts have predicted that the phone will be very expensive and as such not be able to find enough customers.

Which of the following, if true, argues in favor of the assertion that the analysts’ prediction is premature?

(A) The manufacturing cost of the water-resistant phone is less than that of most high-end smartphones.

(B) The phone has a built-in high-resolution camera that can match if not beat the quality of the usual 8-megapixel camera the regular phones come with.

(C) According to several recent surveys of consumers, people looking to purchase a new phone are unlikely to buy models that are more expensive than most popular models.

(D) The latest tests done at Talkit Inc. have indicated that the water-resistant phone can actually withstand at least forty minutes of remaining underwater.

(E) The average repair cost of a regular phone in its lifetime is anywhere from 30%-35% of its original selling price

rosalynd · Answer

The passage talks about a new phone that can resist water damage, but it costs more to make than a regular phone. Some experts think it will be too expensive and won't sell well. However, if option E is true, it suggests that the cost of repairing a regular phone is actually pretty high - around 30-35% of the original price. This means that even if the water-resistant phone costs more up front, it might be worth it in the long run because people won't have to pay for as many repairs. So, it's possible that the experts' prediction is wrong and the new phone will be successful after all.

Option A is incorrect because it doesn't argue in favor of the assertion that the analysts’ prediction is premature. Even if the manufacturing cost of the water-resistant phone is less than that of most high-end smartphones, it still may not be affordable for a lot of customers.

Option B is incorrect because it doesn't address the issue of the phone being expensive. Even if the phone has a great camera, it still may not sell well if it's too costly for most customers.

Option C is incorrect because it actually goes against the assertion that the analysts’ prediction is premature. If recent surveys show that people are unlikely to buy more expensive phones, then it supports the analysts' prediction that the water-resistant phone won't find enough customers.

Option D is incorrect because it doesn't argue in favor of the assertion that the analysts’ prediction is premature. Even if the water-resistant phone can withstand 40 minutes of being underwater, it still may be too expensive for most customers to buy.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Customers are aware that most of the faults that arise in their mobile

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