Apple's first India-made iPhone SE is here; is this the new price?

Apple's first-ever iPhones assembled in India will be available in stores as early as this week or the next.

Apple's first India-made iPhone SE is here; is this the new price?
India assembled Apple iPhones to soon be available in the country. Photo: IANS
Written By: ZeeBiz WebTeam
Updated: Thu, May 18, 2017
12:40 pm
Mumbai, ZeeBiz WebDesk
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Key highlights:

  • Apple just completed a trial-run of the first-ever iPhone assembled in India
  • iPhone SE available for around Rs 20,500 ($320)
  • iPhone SE was supposed to be the cheapest smartphone of Apple

Apple just completed a trial-run of the first-ever iPhone assembled in India. This means the company is one step closer selling Made in India iPhone SE.

Media reports suggest that Apple Inc has begun initial production of a small number of iPhone SE handsets in Bengaluru and will begin shipping India-made devices this month itself.

Assembling the iPhone SE will mean price drop? 

Certain Indian resellers are already offering the iPhone SE for around Rs 20,500 ($320) which is less than the Rs 25,500 ($399) Apple charges for the phone in the US.

Wall Street Journal said that an Indian government official it spoke to hopes that the price of iPhone Se assembled at this plant could be lower by as much as $100. 

ALSO READ: Apple's iPhone in India to get cheaper with Bengaluru manufacturing unit?

This would mean that the price of the iPhone SE could come down to around Rs 14,000.

The iPhone SE was supposed to be the cheapest smartphone of Apple, but is still out of reach to many in India. Bringing the phone to even Rs 16,000 could help it become more affordable.

The average smartphone price affordable for Indians is around Rs 9,600 ($150), according to IDC. 

ALSO READ: Won't allow you to sell used iPhones in India, Govt tells Apple again

This means that it will be well above the minimum price range but will be affordable who are now spending Chinese-based smartphones such as Oppo, Vivo, Motorola, Xiaomi and OnePlus.