Apple appears to be seriously planning to conquer the Indian smartphone market, well aware of the fact that it has huge potential for growth as markets in most countries are saturated. The Cupertino giant hasn't officially cut the price of its iPhone SE in India but its authorised offline retailers are selling it at a huge discount, which will surely give mid-range smartphones from other OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) a run for their money.
The iPhone SE is currently available for Rs 19,999 for the 16GB model, and the 64GB variant is available for Rs 25,999 after Rs 5,000 cash back. This means the 16GB variant will take on OnePlus 2 (Rs 19,999 for 16GB ROM, 3GB RAM), LeEco Le Max 2 (Rs 19,899), Xiaomi Mi Max Prime (Rs 19,999), Moto M (Rs 17,999 for 64GB ROM, 4GB RAM), Asus Zenfone 3 (Rs 18,999) and other devices priced under Rs 20,000. The iPhone SE 6 4GB variant will take on the likes of Xiaomi Mi 5 (Rs 22,999), Moto Z Play (Rs 24,999), Sony Xperia X (Rs 24,999), Google Nexus 5X (Rs 24,999), and OnePlus 2 (Rs 22,999 for 32 GB ROM, 4GB RAM).
Also read: When and what iPhone models will Apple start producing in Bengaluru?
The iPhone SE 16GB variant was originally priced at Rs 39,000 before being cut to Rs 24,999, while the 64GB model was priced at Rs 44,000. However, retailers are currently selling both the variants with Rs 5,000 cash back on purchase using a credit or debit card, taking the prices to a new low.
Credit cards issued by Axis Bank, Citibank, HDFC Bank, HSBC, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak, RBL Bank, SBI, Standard Chartered, UBI, and Yes Bank, and debit cards issued by Axis Bank, Citibank, HDFC Bank, HSBC, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak, RBL Bank, Standard Chartered, and Yes Bank can avail the Rs 5,000 cash back offer. The offer is valid only from March 17 until the end of the month, and the assured amount will be credited on the card used within 90 days from the date of purchase. Only a unit per card is allowed and there is no EMI option.
The unexpected offer could be a move to rake in revenue before the end of the financial year, which ends in March. It could also be done anticipating a price cut once Apple's planned iPhone assembly plant in Bengaluru becomes operational. It is reported that the proposed plant will assemble the iPhone SE to start with and it is expected to begin between April and June.
Should you buy the iPhone SE? Well, it's a good deal for sure as the device comes packed with impressive specifications.
The device features a 4-inch retina display with 1,136x640 pixels (326 ppi pixel density), Touch-ID fingerprint sensor in the home button, an A9 chip, and an iOS 9.3 operating system. It also has a 16GB/64GB internal storage, a 2GB RAM, a 12MP iSight main camera with 1.22µ pixels, a 1.2MP front-snapper, and a 1,624mAh battery.
