Apple plans to sell refurbished iPhones in India

By

20150923_iphone-6s_0010-780x535
Apple wants to get more iPhones into customers' hands.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is planning to import and sell refurbished iPhones in India as a way of getting its handsets into more people’s hands.

“An application from Apple regarding import of certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India and manufacturing certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India has been received in the ministry of environment and forests,” telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.

A government decision about whether or not to grant Apple’s application has not yet been made.

Although Apple sells refurbished Macs, iPads, iPod touches and Apple TVs in the U.S., it does not currently sell second-hand iPhones. It does make sense as a market strategy in India, however, since it lowers the cost of entry for would-be customers hoping to enter the iOS ecosystem.

As one of the big, still-growing smartphones markets, Apple has been pushing to increase its market penetration in India in recent years. According to a recent forecast by IDC, increasing phone sales in India is one of the ways Apple will drive continued growth in its iPhone business — after the market has started to reach saturation point in the U.S., Western Europe, and China.

Apple recently made another application for to India’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) for setting up official Apple Stores in the country. It has also investigated the possibility of growing its enterprise market in the country, as well as planning to invest $25 million in a new office complex in India — which will bring approximately 4,500 jobs to the area during the construction process.

In 2015, Apple finally surpassed the $1 billion sales mark in India for the first time. Clearly the company has plans to try and better that record this year!

Source: Times of India

 

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.