Report: Apple to reduce iPhone 5s price to Rs 15,000, make it an online exclusive

Citing three senior industry executives, the report suggests that Apple’s distributors have already informed brick-and-mortar stores that supplies of the iPhone 5s will be eased out. By selling the phone exclusively online at the price point of Rs 15,000, the brand aims to strengthen its foothold in the country’s mid-range smartphone market, which is currently dominated by Chinese vendors and Samsung, adds the report.

If the report is true, the iPhone SE (review) will become the entry-level device for the offline market in India for the company, carrying a price tag of Rs 20,000. The company is looking for a larger piece of the pie in the Rs 15,000 – Rs 20,000 segment and the iPhone SE will operate in that segment as well via cashback offers, said the report. “The company will have a 10-12% pricing advantage for iPhone SE once it starts assembling it in India by next month,” an executive told the publication.  

The Apple iPhone 5s is a four-year-old device, but it’s still popular among budget buyers in India. According to Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, the phone accounts for around 20 percent of iPhone shipments in India. 

It’s worth mentioning that earlier this month, during the Q2 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the brand recorded strong double-digit growth in India in the March quarter. As part of Apple’s greater push in India, the company is also reportedly planning to launch its online store in the country, which is expected to go live around Diwali.

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