Apple will launch its eagerly awaited iPhone 17 series Next week and the buzz is building all over the world, especially in India where price has always remained a hot topic. The final retail tags are what most Indian customers are watching closely besides the usual makeovers and rumored features.
iPhone 17: GST Reform in India
Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms are a two-tier format with slabs of 5% and 18%. Smartphones like the iPhone are still in the higher 18% slab for consumer devices.
Some industries would benefit from these changes in GST as Apple launches its new devices but not all. The modification in price will be impossible from tax reforms.
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What is U.S. Pricing for iPhone 17?
Analysts are pointing to rupee having gone down 5% recently against the dollar as the most influential aspect in the pricing.
Faisal Kawoosa, an industry expert from Techarc, surmised that this currency depreciation would warrant Apple to increase the price for at least one variant of the iPhone 17. His estimate is that the base model could cross Rs 86,000 by launch and with no major upgrades.
What Global Trends Suggest on iPhone 17?
In the U.S, pricing is thought to remain steady. The iPhone 17 will start retailing likely at $799, to last year’s rates. The all new iPhone 17 Air and which will replace the Plus version, is thought to retail between $899 and $949. Premium variants may see a price bump for the Pro up to $1,099 while Pro Max is expected to retain its $1,199 tag.
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If Apple follows its usual India pricing conversion and it is likely to have similar local prices to those in last year’s lineup. The standard version would probably still retail at Rs. 79,900 and while the Air version could begin at Rs. 89,900 or slightly higher. However, the Pro model could soar up to Rs. 1,30,000 and the Pro Max would hold steady around Rs. 1,44,900.
iPhone 17 Air in Slim Factor
Most of it is around the iPhone 17 Air which is rumored to be Apple’s slimmest iPhone ever. As slimmer builds often cost more to produce, Apple might want to keep its pricing close to that for the outgoing model of Plus to push the volume sales within India’s luxurious segment.
GST changes do not bring any pricing advantage while the currency trends seem to indicate an uptick for at least some models. Still, if Apple maintains its cautious pricing strategy and most versions of the iPhone 17 could remain within reach for the premium smartphone buyer from India, avoiding major sticker shock at an already very price sensitive market.
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Disclaimer: Information is based on market speculation and analyst predictions. Official prices and specs will be confirmed at Apple’s official launch event.
