iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus may not launch in India before Diwali: Report
Hours after unveiling the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple’s India website mentioned that the new smartphones could be available in India on September 26, which later was changed to October 17. While it makes sense for Apple to launch the iPhone 6 in India in time for the Diwali rush, a report on Economic Times claims that the launch could be delayed till November.
According to the publication, the bosses at Apple’s headquarters want the launch in India delayed till November owing to high demand in markets like the US and China. The latter could be one of the primary reasons, where the launch was delayed due to regulatory hurdles. According to Reuters, China’s regulator has finally approved Apple’s iPhone 6 for sale in China
Apple’s distributors in India however are not pleased with Apple’s decision as they “want to make the most of the upcoming festive demand by launching it before Diwali.” The iPhone sales could be further affected with Samsung reportedly planning on launching the Galaxy Note 4 in India within the next two weeks. The publication says that Apple’s executives are still rethinking the launch plans and that a final date hasn’t been set so far. In the meantime however, the new iPhones were spotted on Indian import manifest, which reveals that units of the smartphones have started arriving in India.
The iPhone 6 launch in India though could be anything but smooth if recent reports are anything to go by. Offline mobile retailers are finding it difficult to compete with the heavy discounts being offered on the iPhones on e-commerce sites. The iPhone 5S, which was launched last year for Rs 53,500, is retailing for as low as Rs 32,999 on an e-commerce site. As a result, these retailers are not only returning units of the iPhone 5S, but are also said to be planning on boycotting the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus may not launch in India before Diwali: Report
apple-iphone-6-launched
Tuesday September 30, 2014, 10:50 AM
Hours after unveiling the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple’s India website mentioned that the new smartphones could be available in India on September 26, which later was changed to October 17. While it makes sense for Apple to launch the iPhone 6 in India in time for the Diwali rush, a report on Economic Times claims that the launch could be delayed till November.
According to the publication, the bosses at Apple’s headquarters want the launch in India delayed till November owing to high demand in markets like the US and China. The latter could be one of the primary reasons, where the launch was delayed due to regulatory hurdles. According to Reuters, China’s regulator has finally approved Apple’s iPhone 6 for sale in China
Apple’s distributors in India however are not pleased with Apple’s decision as they “want to make the most of the upcoming festive demand by launching it before Diwali.” The iPhone sales could be further affected with Samsung reportedly planning on launching the Galaxy Note 4 in India within the next two weeks. The publication says that Apple’s executives are still rethinking the launch plans and that a final date hasn’t been set so far. In the meantime however, the new iPhones were spotted on Indian import manifest, which reveals that units of the smartphones have started arriving in India.
RELATED: Offline retailers could boycott selling iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in India
The iPhone 6 launch in India though could be anything but smooth if recent reports are anything to go by. Offline mobile retailers are finding it difficult to compete with the heavy discounts being offered on the iPhones on e-commerce sites. The iPhone 5S, which was launched last year for Rs 53,500, is retailing for as low as Rs 32,999 on an e-commerce site. As a result, these retailers are not only returning units of the iPhone 5S, but are also said to be planning on boycotting the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
RELATED: Apple iPhone 6 pre-orders begin in India ahead of anticipated October 17 launch
Some retailers, on the other hand, don’t seem to have any such qualms and have started accepting preorders for the iPhone 6 ahead of its official launch. One Apple Premium Reseller in Bangalore especially has started taking preorders for the iPhone 6 for Rs 10,000, with the remaining balance to be paid once the launch happens. Other retailers are also unofficially selling the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in India at eye-watering prices. As we reported earlier this month, prices for the new iPhones were touching Rs 140,000 for the 64GB iPhone 6 Plus in Delhi’s grey markets.
