NEW DELHI: The Pro models of the iPhone 16 series performed well in India's opening sales. A few sellers reported 25 per cent higher opening-day sales for the iPhone 16 Pro series compared to last year.
According to Counterpoint Research's early estimates, first-day sales of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus were 20 per cent higher than last year, while sales of the pro models were 25 per cent higher.
Industry leaders attribute the success to the accessible pricing of the iPhone 16 series pro-models, compared to previous generations.
“Our initial assessment suggests that the iPhone 16 series, particularly the Pro models, has resonated well with the market. The more accessible pricing compared to previous generations has expanded its appeal, aligning with the ongoing trend of premiumisation in the Indian smartphone market. This favorable market dynamics is expected to drive significant upgrades, as evidenced by CyberMedia Research's projection of a 30% year-over-year growth in iPhone 16 sales during the launch quarter,” said Prabhu Ram, VP - Industry Research Group (IRG), CyberMedia Research (CMR).
Echoing similar views, Faisal Kawoosa, founder of Techarch, said that the excitement in the market for the iPhone 16 series is at the same level, even if not higher.
"This excitement was evident across all platforms, whether online or offline stores, or delivered through quick commerce platforms like Blinkit," he said.
"As per my understanding, of all smartphones sold in India, around 30 per cent of them were iPhones, it includes not just the latest iPhone 16 series, but also other models. However, premium models like the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are emerging as clear winners,” said Kawoosa.
Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint, believes that with this momentum, Apple is likely to have a record iPhone sales quarter in India. The company is likely to reach 12 million iPhone sales in India.
“We believe Apple will have a record iPhone sales quarter in India, reaching our estimated 12 million sales,” said Pathak.
“There are a couple of reasons. Apple is ready with its India-specific strategy, despite a later rollout. The new iPhone features significant hardware upgrades, including camera, battery, and Apple silicon, compared to last year's base model. Additionally, many people are upgrading their iPhone 11 or iPhone 12 models and are finding the iPhone 16 a great upgrade,” added Pathak.
The highly anticipated iPhone 16 series went on sale on September 20, 2024.
In India, long queues were formed outside stores in Mumbai and Delhi as people eagerly awaited getting their hands on the device.
Interestingly, this year quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit and BB Now have teamed up with Apple retailers like Unicorn to deliver the iPhone 16 directly to customers' doors within minutes of placing the order.
The iPhone 16 series is priced from Rs. 79,900 for the base model, Rs. 89,900 for the iPhone 16 Plus, Rs. 1,19,900 for the 128GB iPhone 16 Pro, and Rs. 1,44,900 for the 256GB iPhone 16 Pro Max, with pre-orders having started on September 13.