Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Looks like a case of back to the past for Apple? iPhone 6 is still months away and the flagging sales are clearly sending their morale down. So then, an ingenious plan crops up and Apple decides to re-launch the iPhone 5C and the iPad 4. But of course there’s a catch. The iPhone 5C gets its memory reduced to half for 40 pounds (approx. U$66) lesser and the iPad 2 has been phased out with the re-launch of the iPad 4.
The pricing of both, the iPhone 5C 8GB and iPad 4 is yet to be disclosed in India. iPad 4 has already been listed on the Apple India site but iPhone 5C 8GB is nowhere to be seen. While the lesser memory variant smartphone is yet to roll out globally, Apple’s iPad 4 re-launch has hit multiple nations and shelves almost immediately post the announcement.
Apple iPhone 5C 8 GB will sport the same features and specifications as the 16 and 32 GB variants. The only difference is the internal memory which has been halved. Initially leaked emails and documents hinted at the price being reduced by almost 60 pounds but looks like Apple wasn’t really in the mood for generosity. However, the question in everyone’s minds is: half the memory at a slightly lesser price. Will it still be enough to see iPhone 5C colour bombs to disappear off shelves? We don’t really think so.
Taking a look at Indian pricing, iPhone 5C 8GB might be priced lower than the 16 GB version but a bare Rs 4000 or Rs 5000 change won’t matter much. The phone was already over-priced and people seeking to buy the iPhone 5C might just as well put in a few extra bucks and get double the memory. Also, looking at the competition in the market, iPhone 5C seems not only outdated and over-priced but has no real features that Android and Windows flagships in the same price range can boast of.
Coming to the iPad 4. iPad 4 already retailed in India through multiple e-retailers and shopping portals. iPad 4 was phased out with the launch of iPad Air. While Apple retained the iPad 2 in markets, it soon became one of the oldest and most obsolete Apple devices to still be available. Re-launching the iPad 4 and phasing out the iPad 2 was definitely a wise decision and is bound to boost sales as there’s always demand for the iPad. With iPad Mini in the lower range and iPad Air in the premium segment, the mid-ranger void has now been filled with the re-launch of iPad 4.
While the pricing of iPad 4 in India is not revealed, the tablet is available for approximately Rs 28,000 for the WiFi only model and Rs 35,000 for the 4G model. In US, the Wi-Fi only model is priced at $399 and the 4G capable model at $529.
Apple’s sales seem to be slipping and post the EMI schemes and buyback policies, re-launching old models and revamping the present ones to make them “cheaper” seem to be the only resort. Is it?
By: DocMemory
Copyright © 2023 CST, Inc. All Rights Reserved
|
