iPhone 6s and 6s Plus to cost much higher here than overseas

NEW DELHI: Apple’s much-awaited iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will cost Rs 62,000 for the lowest storage variant and as much as Rs 92,000 for the top-end model, distributors said Thursday. The India prices are much higher than those in overseas markets such as the US and Singapore, which may deter buyers, especially those intending to upgrade from iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, experts said.

The latest phones, which have been offered for astronomical prices on websites such as eBay India, Quikr, Olx and Flipkart since the US launch on September 25, will be available for pre-registration at Apple’s local distributor websites, including Brightstar, besides online portals Paytm and Snapdeal.

The 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB variants of the iPhone 6s will be sold for Rs 62,000, Rs 72,000 and Rs 82,000, respectively, and similar versions of the 6s Plus will cost Rs 72,000,Rs 82,000 andRs 92,000. In the US, the cheapest iPhone 6s is listed on Apple’s website for $649 (Rs 42,235) while the same model on its Singapore website can be purchased for S$1,048 (Rs 48,295).

ET was the first to report the prices last week, which have now been confirmed. The new models in India are 14-16 per cent more expensive than the devices launched last year.

"Globally, pricing remained similar to last year’s models, but a strong dollar led to increase in pricing in certain regions this year…India, not being a high-volume country for Apple, the increase in pricing might be a result of weak rupee and rise in duty compared to last year," said Tarun Pathak, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Technology Market Research.

Other analysts told ET that an outgo of more than Rs 60,000 for a smartphone, even on monthly instalments, would be a huge amount for most iPhone aspirants, which may lead to subdued demand.