Apple’s latest entry-level iPhone 16e is not expected to see a major take up in sales anytime soon in the country as users will continue to prefer flagship models such as iPhone 15 or iPhone 16, which are trading at minimum mark-up and offer better features, according to analysts.
On Wednesday, Apple launched iPhone 16e, a refresh to its early affordable iPhone SE. In India, iPhone 16e (128 GB) price starts at Rs 59,900. In comparison, iPhone 16 price in India after discounts comes at around Rs 73,000 for 128 GB variant, whereas iPhone 15 price comes at Rs 62,000.
“The entire iPhone 16 lineup, including the iPhone 16e, is being assembled in India for local consumers as well as for export to select markets,” Apple said, adding that it will be available from February 28 onwards via Apple’s official stores, e-commerce platforms, and authorised retail partners. The 256 GB and 512 GB variants are priced at Rs 69,900 and Rs 89,900, respectively.
Lately, Apple has been manufacturing iPhone 15, iPhone 14, and iPhone 13, through its contract partners such as Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron, in the country.
According to analysts, the iPhone 16e can be seen as the company’s strategy to increase sales of iPhone 16 as after discounts there is no major difference between the products. Further, users would prefer better features compared to pricing at this point. In the festive season, once the price of 16e drops below Rs 50,000, it will see good traction from first time iPhone buyers, analysts said.
Among other reasons for iPhone 16e to not see an immediate take up is because its pricing has been kept higher than what the market was expecting.
“We could see a moderate response from iPhone 16e sales in the first half. In the second half, if the price drops below Rs 50,000 during festive season, then the device will offer a strong competition to other smartphone brands in the Rs 35,000 above range as well,” said Faisal Kawoosa, chief analyst at Techarc.
According to Kawoosa, iPhone 16E would lower barriers for customers in India to enter the Apple ecosystem. Simultaneously, it would encourage users to buy the latest generation of iPhones, who otherwise would purchase older generations because of budget constraints.
According to market research firm Canalys, iPhone 16e will help Apple increase its presence in markets including Southeast Asia and Latin America, where affordability is a significant factor for buyers.
In the October-December quarter, Apple for the first time entered the list of top five smartphone companies by volume market share in the country. Apple’s market share in volume terms was at 11% backed by strong festive season sales. In value terms, Apple’s market share was at 23% in 2024.
