Skip to main content

Apple to increase retail store presence in India, could be preparing for budget iPhone

bring-out-your-dead-what-to-do-with-your-old-iphone-625x416-cIn July 2012, Apple CEO Tim Cook was quizzed about the company’s future in India, and was quoted as saying he saw the potential for higher sales in the country, adding that, “Business is growing in India.” Fast forward to today, and news has emerged that three of India’s major Apple franchises have been asked by the company to increase the amount of stores to about 200 by 2015. Additionally, Apple will be adding more concessions inside larger stores.

Apple doesn’t have its own network of Apple retail stores in the country, so must rely on resellers to get its products out into the hands of customers. However, selling high-end smartphones in India is very different from doing so in the U.S. and Europe. A report in the Financial Times calls India a price sensitive market, and says the iPhone is restricted to wealthy buyers or the black market. One of the reasons Android is so popular in India and other developing markets, is its availability at varied price points.

Recommended Videos

You know where this is going, as increasing the amount of stores selling phones only a few people can afford won’t help Apple’s position in India, but if they’re selling a lower cost iPhone it could. A budget iPhone has been rumored since before the beginning of the year, and its potentially sub-$400 price point could see it compete with its cheaper Android rivals. The tripling of Apple resellers in India is a significant move, and one which wouldn’t make much sense without them being given the right product to sell.

If you’re in the position of buying an iPhone 5 already, don’t expect the low-cost iPhone to blow your socks off with its super exciting specification, as leaked information suggests it’ll have a plastic bodyshell, 3G-only connectivity, a non-Retina screen and a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. An analyst at RBC Markets believes the low-cost iPhone will be launched in June or July this year, along with the new iPhone 5S, and could see Apple rake in another $22 billion from sales of 500 million during 2014.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Forget the iPhone 17 Pro design, the 20th anniversary iPhone could be the boldest yet
Leaked render of iPhone 17 Pro Max rear panel.

There are always plenty of rumours surrounding the next iPhone, with some even appearing over a year before the model in question is due to be announced. For this year it is the iPhone 17 series that is expected to be announced in September, with several reports claiming there will be a design change for the Pro models coming, as well as the arrival if a super slim iPhone. 

But the latest report we are talking about here isn't about this year's iPhone, or even next year's. It's for the 20th anniversary iPhone model, that is set to arrive in 2027, alongside a potential folding iPhone. According to Mark Gurman's latest Power On newsletter, picked up by Macrumors, the iPhone Pro that launches alongside the folding iPhone will feature a "bold" design that makes more extensive use of glass.

Read more
Don’t hold your hopes for a fancy design refresh on the iPhone 17 Pro
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max's screen.

For nearly half a decade, Apple has sold smartphones that fundamentally serve the same design language originating on the iPhone 11. Later this year, the iPhone 17 series will hit the shelves. If you’ve been expecting an aesthetic makeover, there’s some bad news for you, unless you’re ready to spend big bucks on one of the Pro models. 

According to Bloomberg, the iPhone 17 Pro “will look meaningfully different,” compared to its iPhone 16 series counterpart. Alongside the rumored super-sleek iPhone 17 Air trim, these two are reportedly the biggest design refreshes in recent years on Apple smartphones. The approach, however, would still be quite modest. 

Read more
A $2,300 iPhone? The recent tariffs make that a possibility
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max's charging port.

Apple's iPhone might see a serious price hike in response to the recent tariffs, according to a report from Rosenblatt Securities. Analysts suggest the tariffs could result in a price increase of anywhere from 30% to 40%, if Apple chooses to pass the increased costs on to consumers. Neil Shah, an analyst from Counterpoint Research, suggests Apple would need to increase prices by 30% on average, while Rosenblatt analysts say the number is closer to 43%.

To illustrate what that might look like, take a look at the current $799 price point for the iPhone 16. If its price increases by 43%, it would come out to around $1,142. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro Max — currently priced at $1,599 for its base model — could jump to just under $2,300 ($2,286.57, to be exact.)

Read more