In order to gain a sizeable footing in the lower mid-range smartphone segment, Apple is set to sell the iPhone 5s at Rs 15,000 across all sales channels. This said sources would be the new MOP (market operating price) for the retailers. The phone will be available at new prices in both online stores as well as offline shops. The iPhone 5s was launched way back in 2013 and was the first iPhone to come with a fingerprint sensor and a 64-bit processor.
The iPhone 5s has stood the test of time and is still very popular among those wanting an iPhone at a relatively affordable price. It comes with Apple's A7 processor, 1GB of RAM, a fingerprint sensor and 120fps slow motion video capture.
Apple aims to capture a sizeable market share in a segment dominated by Samsung and Chinese OEM's like Xiaomi and Lenovo. While the iPhone 5s is already available online for around Rs 18,000, this will be an official price cut that will be applicable to both online as well as offline sales channels.
Such a move will help drive iPhone sales which generally taper between the months of May and October as a result of anticipation for the launch of the newer models.
An industry executive told the Economic Times - "Apple wanted to have one iPhone model with an aggressive pricing in India and was banking on the company-certified refurbished models. But now that the proposal has been struck down by the government, it is betting on the iPhone 5s."
Another executive told ET that Apple wants to make inroads into the Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 segment, which grew an astonishing 158 per cent in the January-March quarter. The executive said that the company soon plans on bringing the iPhone SE in this price bracket once it starts assembling the smartphone in India by next month.
After witnessing a drop in iPhone sales in Q1 and Q2 2016, Apple has started looking towards developing markets like India for growth. Apple CEO Tim Cook's recent visit to the country, the opening up of a development centre in Hyderabad and the announcement of an iOS design centre in Bengaluru are all examples of Apple's growing commitment towards the Indian market.
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