NEW DELHI: Whenever Apple launches a new iPhone, Twitter is flooded with ‘I’ll have to sell a kidney to buy it’ jokes — and not without reason. For, the prices are, as some call it, “downright ridiculous”. The world’s first trillion dollar company has ensured the trend continues, by pricing its entry-level variant of the iPhone XS Max at a whopping $1099.
But is it worth the price? Not if you’re buying it in India, say potential buyers, as the cost in the US is 30 per cent less than in India, considering the rupee’s present value against the dollar.
Varun Sharma, 26, a pilot, intends to upgrade from his iPhone 6S to one of the new models when he flies to Singapore or Dubai for work. “I will check prices in these markets, and if there is no significant difference from the US rates, I will get one.” However, he was disappointed the XR — the least expensive of the new models — doesn’t have an OLED screen.
Dr Ashraf Alam, 33, who is flying to the US next month, said he would definitely pick up the iPhone XS Max if he feel’s it’s worth it. Priyanka Chabbra, 25, who lives in Great Britain and uses iPhone X, meanwhile, said she isn’t keen on the new versions at the moment.
Experts who analysed the new phones’ specs say it doesn’t make much sense to upgrade from the X to the XS, as the features are almost the same. They may consider the XS Max, though, as it has a bigger screen — larger than that of its nearest competitor, Samsung’s Note 9.
“Well, it’s too early to say whether the phone is worth it, as we haven’t got our hands on it yet. But all said and done, the price doesn’t matter for hardcore Apple fans. They’ll buy it even if it costs $200 more,” said a leading smart-phone reviewer.
30% cheaper in the United States
In India, the iPhone XR starts from Rs 76,900, while in the US it costs $749 (Rs 54,000 approx). The iPhone XS costs Rs 99,900 and the iPhone XS Max costs Rs 1,09,900. These rates are for the base variants (64 GB internal storage). The iPhone XS Max (512 GB) costs Rs 1,44,900.