Apple is indeed relaunching the iPhone 4 in India as reported earlier this week. However, Apple has priced the smartphone, which was launched in 2010 and discontinued a couple of months ago, at an MRP of Rs 22,900 and not Rs 15,000, BGR India has learnt from sources at Apple’s distributor partners.
The iPhone 4 has been discontinued globally after the launch of the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S. Prior to the discontinuation, Apple was retailing it at an MRP of Rs 26,900, implying a price cut of Rs 4,000 with the reintroduction. As things stand right now, there is no official word about any buyback scheme on the iPhone 4, which could lower its price to the Rs 15,000 mark that was reported earlier.
UPDATE: Apple’s distributors are giving a scheme to retailers where it will give 10 free iPhone 4 8GB for every 100 units they buy. This, sources say, could give more margin for retailers to lower the price of the iPhone 4 8GB to around Rs 20,000.
Apple would never dilute its brand value and one should not have expected even an old model like the iPhone 4 8GB at Rs 15,000. However, Apple could bring down the price further by giving EMI schemes like the one it has just introduced for the iPad mini today.
The EMI scheme on the iPad mini Wi-Fi 16GB in India comes with a downpayment of Rs 4,999 and 18 EMIs of Rs 1,055 each. Apple would provide a cashback at the end of 18 months that would cover the interest and taxes levied on the EMI and then some more.