Reliance Industries is offering to buy back from customers of its Jio telecoms unit Apple Inc’s latest iPhone models after a year’s usage for 70 percent of their price, a move that may boost Jio’s data sales and help the U.S. firm expand in India as the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus go on sale this evening.
In India, the iPhone 8 base model with 64 GB storage is priced at Rs 64,000 and the higher storage model with 256 GB internal storage is priced at Rs 77,000. On the other hand, the iPhone 8 Plus base model with 64 GB and 256 storage are priced at Rs 73,000 and Rs 86,000, respectively.
The much-awaited smartphones of the year are currently up for pre-registration on e-commerce platforms with various discounts, cashback offers, and buyback options.
Here is a quick guide on who is offering what on the new iPhones:
Flipkart
The home-grown e-commerce giant has partnered with Citibank to provide a flat cashback of Rs 10,000 to all the buyers on the purchase of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The Citibank cashback offer is valid on Citi credit and world debit card for the purchases made until September 29 only.
Along with the cashback offer, the e-commerce portal is also offering an exchange offer with additional Rs 3,000 over the regular exchange price in exchange of old iPhone for the new iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus.
The e-commerce giant is also running a Rs 99 promotion buyback offer, which assures guaranteed buyback value of up to 52 per cent on the exchange of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus for next iPhones after 15 months.
The credit card holders can also avail no cost equal monthly installment (EMI), which divides the cost of iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus in 3, 6 or 12 equal monthly instalments without adding any interest to it.
Reliance Jio or Reliance Digital
Reliance Jio has collaborated with Apple to sell iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus with special prepaid and postpaid plan designed specifically for the new devices. Like Flipkart, Reliance Jio is also offering Rs 10,000 flat cashback to Citibank credit/debit cardholders. Along with cashback offer, the company is also offering Rs 799 monthly plan (Prepaid and Postpaid), which assures 70 per cent buyback after 12 months. So in essence, the buyback offer will be available to Jio customers who buy the iPhone and subscribe to its Rs 799 monthly package for 12 months.
In Rs 799 monthly plan, Reliance Jio is offering free voice calls, SMS and Jio apps coupled with 3 GB high-speed 4G data per day valid for 28 days. The buyback offer is applicable only for users who opt for Rs 799 plan with a contract of 12 months.
The move could help boost Apple’s market share in India from a meagre 3 percent, while Jio could win the loyalties of high-spending Apple fans.
Amazon
Amazon has collaborated with Reliance Jio and the e-commerce giant is offering iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus bundled with Reliance Jio's Rs 799 monthly plan, which also assures 70 per cent buyback after 12 months. The e-commerce portal is also offering the new iPhones without the Jio contract.
Amazon is also offering Rs 10,000 cashback to Citibank credit/debit card holders.