Apple has just launched the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in India through Flipkart wherein the 32GB model is selling at a whopping price of ₹60,000 ($900) and the 256GB model will cost you around ₹80,000. The new iPhones cost more than what an average Indian citizen earns in six months, reported CNBC.
Nevertheless, Flipkart has put these iPhone 7s on sale starting 7 October at the following prices in rupees (see their equivalent in dollars):
- 32GB iPhone 7—60,000 rupees ($898)
- 256GB iPhone 7—80,000 rupees ($1,202)
- 256GB iPhone 7 Plus—92,000 rupees ($1,382)
Meanwhile, the World Bank has estimated the average annual salary of a person in India as $1,581.60 in 2015 as opposed to an average US citizen's annual salary of $55,836.80.
With Apple's smartphone market share estimated to be less than 5% in the populous 1.25-billion-strong country, the iPhone maker is working hard to establish direct sales service with the launch of new retail stores in the sub-continent.
In related news, it has been confirmed that Flipkart sent out "delivery executives" including its CEO, Binny Bansal, to key cities in the Indian market to supervise the hand-delivery of some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus units to lucky customers who pre-ordered the handsets before 7 October. Bansal was reportedly found delivering some iPhone 7 units to lucky customers in Bangalore at 7pm sharp on 7 October.
"Ekart, Flipkart's supply chain arm has readied a full force of delivery executives to make sure its customers get hold of their phones right from 7 PM today. Delivery executives are fanning out across key cities in India to surprise several lucky customers at the exact time when the clock strikes seven," said the company in the statement.
Meanwhile, several official sources have confirmed the iPhone 7 launch in Ukraine on 7 October while Jordan and Oman will join the fray on 15 October. Madagascar, Maroc, Maurice and Uganda will start receiving Apple's new flagship phones starting 21 October.
iPhone 7 is expected to hit Israel on 20 October while Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, South Africa and Turkey will see the smartphone launch on 14 October. South Korea and Thailand are expected to see the initial release of iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2 on 21 October.
