Apple Ends Retail Incentives, Older iPhones in India Expected to Rise in Price

Planning to get an older iPhone this year? With Apple’s discontinuation of a key incentive programme for offline retailers, the prices of older-generation iPhones you might have to spend a little extra. These incentives were aimed at keeping the demand steady for older iPhones and further assisted retailers in offering cashback schemes and promotional discounts on previous-generation phones. Its withdrawal is expected to limit the scope of such rebates by retailers.

Retailers will no longer be able to absorb the price cuts, leading to a price increase of up to Rs 5,000 in the effective cost of some older iPhones. These phones offered a lower-priced entry point into the Apple ecosystem. Offline sellers found these deals to be of extensive benefit.

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Is Apple Seeking Tighter Control Over Prices?

The move indicates a change in Apple’s India strategy. By curbing the discounts at the retailer level, the company seeks greater control over prices. Since smartphones are updated every year, in several cases the outgoing model is not profoundly outdated for everyday use. Customers often take the plunge to get the older versions for hefty discounts. The retail incentives Apple might be aiming to slow down the sales of previous-generation models.

Limited Impact on Newer Models

These changes will not impact the latest iPhone 17 series, as the move is focused on older models that are still in demand. Due to escalatory trends amid the Iran-Israel tensions and U.S. chip shortages, the prices of tech products are expected to rise. However, the demand for iPhones has stayed stable and might increase in the future.

iPhone 15 and 16 to Bear the Impact

With the support now being rolled back, the effect is most likely to take place immediately. As revealed by a Moneycontrol report, these changes might impact the prices by Rs 5,000 or more.