【2025 Archives】

Apple may025 Archivesgrown more interested in India, but it is still making the world’s fastest growing smartphone market wait for a month for the new iPhones.

The company unveiled the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus last night. Both the phones are going on sale in the United States and 27 other markets starting Sept. 16, and then another 30 regions a week later. But it won’t be until Oct. 7 that people in India would be able to get their hands on Apple’s newest.Like always, Indians will have to pay a premium to buy the new iPhones. Apple revealed last night that the base iPhone 7 32GB variant will cost Rs 60,000 ($902) in India, which is significantly expensive than the $649 it costs in the United States. Blame it on high import duties and other taxes in India. However, the good news is the iPhone 7 is priced slightly cheaper than the iPhone 6s' launch price of Rs 63,000 ($950) last year.Apple is yet to share how much it will ask for the iPhone 7 Plus that comes with a dual-camera setup.

The company has also introduced a set of new wireless AirPods that will sell for Rs 15,400 ($230). Similarly, if you are eying the new Apple Watch Series 2, it starts at Rs 32,900 ($495) and will go on sale with the new iPhones. India remains one of the most expensive places worldwide to purchase an iPhone. The Indian government imposes high import duties on smartphones in a bid to increase local manufacturing. Apple is said to be planning its India manufacturing facility with Foxconn but that could take a few years to materialize. Apple has also started to put more focus on India, with Tim Cook paying his maiden visit to the country as Apple CEO earlier this year. He wooed the government with plans to set up a software development center as well as open an accelerator for app developers.Cook also expressed desires to setup company's iconic stores in the country, and hoped to convince the government to allow his company to sell refurbished iPhones, one of the ways Apple could offer Indians iPhone for lower price. The Indian government rejected the company's proposal to sell refurbished iPhones, but relaxed the local sourcing rules to give Apple a nod to open its stores in the country.