The iPhone SE 3 will be priced below Rs. 9,999. 30,000 in India? Here’s What’s Really Likely to Happen

If the latest speculations and rumors are to be believed, Apple could launch its upcoming iPhone SE (2022) at a price starting under $300, compared to $399 for the iPhone SE (2020), or around Rs. 9,999. 22,500 in India before taxes, resulting in an eventual end-user retail price of Rs. 29,990 in India. This is just a guess, since the current model’s starting price of $399 in the US currently translates to Rs. 999. 39,990 here (up from Rs. 42,500 at the time of its launch).

If that doesn’t seem like such a great price, keep in mind that online retailers in India typically sell iPhones for a bit less, and festive sales can lead to dramatic price drops. The iPhone SE (2020) was listed for around Rs. 9,999. 25,000 during last year’s festive sales, and with exchange offers as well as bank offers, you can buy one now brand new for just Rs. 9,999. 15,498.

In fact, Apple quite regularly allows third-party sales of its products in India at deeply discounted prices – this allows it to maintain its brand image while selling massive quantities of devices to people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to. not afford them.

So it might make sense on a number of levels for Apple to officially lower the prices of its entry-level iPhone SE, but there are several ways it could work. Most rumors point to the new model – iPhone SE (2022), iPhone SE 3, iPhone SE 5G or whatever it’s called – launching at $299 or even $199. The latter case is extremely unlikely, as Apple rarely makes such significant changes to its lineup. Any price reduction would nevertheless be interesting.

Keeping the price high could be justified because Apple will most likely use a version of its most recent A15 Bionic SoC, which powers the iPhone 13 series, and of course the flagship feature will be 5G. We won’t lose any features compared to the previous model, so the IP67 rating and wireless charging will continue to set this product apart. The build quality should be excellent, with metal and glass. And of course there’s Apple’s promise of security, long-term software updates, and the usual brand value.

On the other hand, having the same body shape and small 4.7-inch screen that has been in circulation since the iPhone 6 launched in 2014 will hurt the new iPhone SE. The Android world has long moved to large screens with minimal bezels and no physical buttons, but Apple is keeping its lowest-end iPhone model old-fashioned to reduce development costs and accommodate resistant upgrades to change. You also get multiple cameras, facial recognition, super-fast loading, and an assortment of software customization options in the Android world that you’d be forced to do without.

Even a 5G-enabled iPhone SE wouldn’t outweigh the advantages of most Android phones in the sub-Rs. 25,000 and below Rs. 30,000 price categories, in the eyes of many potential buyers. We’re still several months away from rolling out 5G networks to Indian consumers, at best, but by launching it now, Apple could make a splash during this year’s Diwali sales, when the best discounts take place.

Of course, there’s another dimension to consider: Another small concession Apple made in India is relying on third parties to continue selling older iPhone models. Right now, you can get an iPhone not for sale on Apple. com. Every new version of iOS over the past few years has supported iPhones older than five years, keeping them relevant and secure.

This means the current iPhone SE (2020) (Review), which is currently selling well below its Rs. 9,999 mark. The official starting price of 39,990 will almost certainly remain available in India after the launch of the next iPhone SE. This creates an opportunity not only for an official price cut but also for Flipkart and Amazon to sell it at around Rs. 9,999. 20,000 before offers. Of course, if the new model launches at a lower price than expected, the iPhone SE (2020) will not be as attractive.

The new iPhone SE will have the same dated design as its predecessor, with a small screen and a physical home button

Apple seems content to allow discounted iPhones to be sold in India, which isn’t surprising because the brand has huge aspiration value and once buyers arrive, they’ll likely want to spend some money. money on AirPods, Apple’s various subscription services. , and even Macs. Apple makes a ton of money by charging users monthly for iCloud storage, and Apple One incentivizes use of the company’s music, TV, and game subscription services. Tools like iMessage tend to keep people on the platform and upgrade them a few years later.

It’s pretty obvious that the Rs. 20,000-30,000 price range is currently hotly contested in India, and Apple’s share in this segment is not huge. By diluting its brand value a little and competing with the big Android players, Apple has a lot to gain.

India has often been cited as a huge opportunity for Apple in the company’s earnings calls, but we’ve been disappointed before: the 8GB iPhone 5c priced at Rs. 9,999,999.37,500 was all simply insulting, and the original price of the iPhone SE was first announced at Rs. 9,999. 30,000 before quickly correcting to Rs. 39,000. Hopefully things are about to change.