Apple hikes iPhone prices in India post-customs duty hike

New Delhi, December 18

After the government hiked the customs duty from 10 per cent to 15 per cent for mobile handsets last week, Apple on Monday became the first manufacturer to raise prices (on MRP) across iPhone models, except iPhone SE that the company assembles in the country.

"As expected, Apple has increased the iPhone prices. The interesting thing now is to see how the Indian Apple community react to this," Tarun Pathak, Associate Director, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems, Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

iPhone X lovers will have to shell out Rs 92,430 for the 64GB variant, which was earlier available for Rs 89,000.

The 256GB variant will now cost Rs 1,05,720 from the earlier price of Rs 1,02,000.

An Apple official had told IANS last week that the government's decision to hike the customs duty from 10 per cent to 15 per cent for mobile handsets, is a statutory industry-wise hike.

The iPhone 8 will now be available for Rs 66,120 (64GB variant) and Rs 79,420 for the 256GB variant.

The iPhone 8 Plus will cost Rs 75,450 for 64GB variant and Rs 88,750 for the 256GB varient.

The Cupertino-based iPhone maker is also seeking tax relief and other incentives from the government to begin assembling more handsets in the country.

Industry analysts had said that Apple had two choices after the customs duty hike -- either to increase the prices or start assembling more in the country.

Apple is currently assembling iPhone SE model at its Bengaluru facility with Wistron Corporation, its Taiwanese manufacturing partner.

Domestic and some China-based manufacturers will not be affected as much as most of them are assembling a lot in the country and just need to rev up their assembly lines, Pathak added. — IANS.