iPhone SE fails to get off the ground in India

By Harish Jonnalagadda
published

The iPhone SE failed to get off the ground during its launch weekend, with less than 2,000 units distributed across New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Steep pricing of the handset, which sees the 16GB model selling for ₹39,000 and the 64GB edition for ₹49,000, is the main factor behind the tepid response toward the phone.

Citing a "senior trade partner," ET Tech wrote:

Both the consumer and media hype, which usually happen around a new iPhone, was completely missing for the iPhone SE in India. Hence, Apple has got less stock to build up the buzz and will also run promotion schemes to make the model affordable.

The phone will undoubtedly pick up momentum once Apple corrects its pricing to a more reasonable figure. According to GreyHound Research CEO Sanchit Vir Gogia, that may occur after the company runs through its inventory of the iPhone 5s:

Apple imported many iPhone 5S units in Q4 of 2015. It is likely that Apple hasn't yet finished this stock of the iPhone 5S in India and it is waiting to get rid of inventory before moving to fix the price of the iPhone SE.

Apple is also set to roll out buyback schemes for the iPhone SE shortly in a bid to incentivize its latest handset before the price correction.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Harish Jonnalagadda

The clumsiest man in tech.

6 Comments
  • The games Apple is playing with their memory and pricing will catch up to them. 16gb Really? Sent from the iMore App
  • To be fair, I don't think India was a market Apple considered seriously in the past either. The 6 and 6S don't seem to sell that well over there when compared to the flagship Xiaomis and Meizus that seem to populate that market. Primary reason is the price, obviously. Looking at the reported ₹39,000 for a 16GB SE - that's friggin USD$580+. I know iPhones tend to be more expensive outside the US, but that's a ridiculous markup, way more than what people in China or Hong Kong pay for it. I wonder if there's some form on taxation (possibly for western branded products?) going on that makes it so expensive. Another reason might be app ecosystem, whereby many of the apps that cater to the Indian market are Android only, maybe?
  • I am an Indian and you are absolutely right about the app ecosystem . Google localizes a lot of services here. They have indian regional language keyboards. Google now understood Indian accent of English language way before siri and there are many more. Apple although do provide some India specific services but they are not as many as google. People just see Apple product as status symbol here and not as a value product. You can get a 64gb nexus 6p here for 38k. Posted via the iMore App for Android
  • I don't think India is really that important to Apple. To be honest Apple doesn't need India. Sent from the iMore App
  • Don't see why. If they made it in a 128GB, I would give up my 6S for it!! Sent from the iMore App
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