GST effect: Why now is the perfect time to buy iPhone or Macs
With the GST finally kicking in and no new incentives for local manufacturers announced so far, the smartphone manufacturers look set to be facing difficult choices going forward. As a direct result of the GST, industry experts estimate phone prices to soon go up by 4 per cent-5 per cent at an average.
However, if you're in the market for an iPhone, things could be very different. The cupertino-based tech giant is looking to go against the trend, and with the GST rollout in full effect, Apple has instead chosen to officially slash prices of iPhone 7, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE along with other Apple-branded products in India. A quick look at the pricing of its products starting July reveals that Apple has brought down prices by an average 4 per cent-7.5 per cent.
iPhone 7 Plus
Starting with the most expensive phone in its lineup, the 256GB iPhone 7 Plus is now retailing in India for a price of Rs 85,400 as opposed to its previous price of 92,000. Prices of the 32GB and 128GB models have also been slashed with the two now retailing for Rs 67,300 and Rs 76,200 down from their pre-GST price of Rs 72,000 and Rs 82,000.
iPhone 7
The iPhone 7 also sees substantial price cuts with the most expensive 256GB iPhone 7 getting a sweet Rs 5,600 price cut. The 128GB variant will now retail at an MRP of Rs 65,200 – a discount of Rs 4800. The lowest in the line, 32GB variant also gets a Rs 3,800 price cut and will retail for Rs 56,200 as opposed to its previous price of Rs 60,000.
iPhone 6s Plus
Continuing the trend, the iPhone 6s Plus is also being offered at approximately 5 per cent price cut. The price of the 128GB variant, which earlier retailed at Rs 70,000, is now selling after a price cut of Rs 5,000, while the 32GB variant also gets a decent revision in price and has been listed at Rs 56,100 – down from Rs 60,000.
The iPhone 6s has also been treated to similar price revisions.
iPhone SE
The company has also slashed the pricing of the iPhone SE 32/128GB storage variants. The iPhone SE, for now, is the only phone assembled in India and as such the discounts on it are pretty great. The company has slashed the official pricing down to Rs 26,000 and Rs 35,000 respectively. However, if you head over to popular online retailers, there are even better deals on offer. Customers can buy the 32GB model of the iPhone SE for as low as Rs 22,799, which is pretty decent.
iPad and MacBook
Apple has also extended its love to its iPad and MacBook range. However, the price cuts here are not as substantial as on the iPhone lineup. Starting from the iPad to iPad Pro, all of Apple's tablets will cost 1-1.5k less after the latest price revision, while the MacBooks will now come with a maximum price cut of around Rs 6,000.
Why the price cuts?
Apple India has been on a high and recently enjoyed its best period in the country with revenues soaring more than 20 per cent in the quarter ending in March, 2017. With GST in effect, the company looks to be sacrificing some of its growing revenue for an increased overall share in the market.
Apple has invested heavily in the Indian market, and amid sales slowdown in markets like China and it has increasingly started to look at the country as the next big opportunity for the sale of its products. The price cuts thus will help it cement its place as a market leader, and help Apple take on the likes of Samsung and Google who have increasingly looked to pose a threat to its place at the higher end of the smartphone market in India.