Lower smartphone sales and overwhelming competition from Samsung are prompting Apple to offer the iPhone 4 to Indian consumers, says The Economic Times. January 14, 2014 7:24 AM PST Apple's iPhone 4 may find its way back to India. (Credit: CNET) Apple reportedly is prepping to relaunch the budget-conscious 8GB iPhone 4 in India in an attempt to revive lagging smartphone sales. To reach more buyers, Apple will cut the cost of the iPhone 4 to 15,000 Indian rupees ($243) from the original price of 26,500 rupees ($431), The Economic Times said on Tuesday, citing information from Apple's top four trade partners in India. After launching in the country three years ago, the iPhone 4 was retired as the iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, and 5S debuted. But the 5S starts at the high price of 53,500 rupees ($870). Apple currently offers no phone in the sub-30,000 rupee category, according to The Times, and demand for the lower-cost 5C has failed to meet expectations. "Apple's iPhone 4 8GB model used to rank amongst the top three selling models by unit sales and fight neck and neck with Samsung, but with its exit the company lost much ground," a senior executive at a top electronic retail told The Times However, Apple faces an uphill battle competing against Samsung, to which it has lost market share in India. Apple's slice of the smartphone market hit a high of 4 percent around a year ago before sinking to 1.4 percent last October, The Times said. Over the same period, Samsung's share surged to 42 percent from 33 percent.
Lower smartphone sales and overwhelming competition from Samsung are prompting Apple to offer the iPhone 4 to Indian consumers, says The Economic Times.
Apple's iPhone 4 may find its way back to India.
(Credit: CNET)
Apple reportedly is prepping to relaunch the budget-conscious 8GB iPhone 4 in India in an attempt to revive lagging smartphone sales.
To reach more buyers, Apple will cut the cost of the iPhone 4 to 15,000 Indian rupees ($243) from the original price of 26,500 rupees ($431), The Economic Times said on Tuesday, citing information from Apple's top four trade partners in India.
After launching in the country three years ago, the iPhone 4 was retired as the iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, and 5S debuted. But the 5S starts at the high price of 53,500 rupees ($870). Apple currently offers no phone in the sub-30,000 rupee category, according to The Times, and demand for the lower-cost 5C has failed to meet expectations.
"Apple's iPhone 4 8GB model used to rank amongst the top three selling models by unit sales and fight neck and neck with Samsung, but with its exit the company lost much ground," a senior executive at a top electronic retail told The Times
However, Apple faces an uphill battle competing against Samsung, to which it has lost market share in India. Apple's slice of the smartphone market hit a high of 4 percent around a year ago before sinking to 1.4 percent last October, The Times said. Over the same period, Samsung's share surged to 42 percent from 33 percent.
