Will Apple ever be mainstream in India??

Rednekol

Recruit
Recently I've been seeing a lot of people around me buy an iPhone, also saw a lot more people using it in buses and public transports,
Ya guys think iPhone could ever be the dominant phone in the Indian market like it's in Japan and USA??
 

blr_p

Skilled
Only if it's carrier supported. Could such a model work in India these days with UID ?

Meaning you get some contract with Reliance, Airtel and the like

That's how top end phones end up becoming more widespread because people don't have to pay the total price at the start
 
Last edited:

sauravghosh

Adept
Yep. Most prevalent problem with third worlds. Inequality. Either buying something like an iPhone pro Max means just disposing of your loose change, or you cannot even dream of it due to constraint of budget. Those of us middle class could afford, but it's so difficult especially the full price upfront that we instead settle with something cheaper.
Therefore the answer is a huge NO.
 

FXGalvatron

Disciple
I don't think so. I see a lot more people owning I phones compared to a few years back. Now it looks like everyone and their mother has an iPhone. I think Mrwhosetheboss covered a video of how I phones are becoming more popular in our country. I do think Android will remain popular forever unless something happens. It has to cone down to the apps available. You can easily sail the high seas on Android compared to iOS. Like Spotify (iykyk)
 

OMEGA44-XT

Adept
An iPhone is a status symbol & in corporate offices, you see many people with iPhones these days. Their sales are surely increasing. But at the end, iPhone is a luxury product, not a necessity. For a good phone, most 20k androids are good enough for most people. If you need a good camera, get a 30k phone like 6a or NP1. Like it or not, India is a relatively poor country & even a 20k phone is a lot of money for most people. So I don't think iOS will ever get to 50% market share like the US any time soon.

India Smartphone Market Share: Counterpoint Research

India smartphone market declined 9% YoY to reach shipments over 152 million units in 2022. Samsung emerged as the leading brand in Q4 2022.
www.counterpointresearch.com www.counterpointresearch.com
According to this, just 11% of smartphones sold in 2022 were 30k+. So India needs rapid economic growth, then maybe Apple will get a 10% market share in a decade. Time will tell.
 

asingh

Staff member
Super Mod
Nopes. Never.

They are always north of 1/2 a lakh, even when 2 Generations old. Just an overpriced/status symbol device for people. In my office almost 90% carry these phones--well even I did, then learnt the lesson of life.

Ninja Edit:
Dying to get a Samsung Flip. But they are so expensive.
 

FXGalvatron

Disciple
asingh said:
Nopes. Never.

They are always north of 1/2 a lakh, even when 2 Generations old. Just an overpriced/status symbol device for people. In my office almost 90% carry these phones--well even I did, then learnt the lesson of life.

Ninja Edit:
Dying to get a Samsung Flip. But they are so expensive.
Click to expand...

Z Flip is cheaper than iPhones, I think. 44k. Expensive. But considering the price of an iPhone and what it offers...
 

Darth Vader

Adept
We're a population in billion. If you see iPhone everywhere, then you're living/traveling with the top 10%.
 

gourav

Patron
enthusiast29 said:
Most people buy it on consumer durable loans or either get it from work.

Taking small loans of such products has become way too easy and common now.
Click to expand...
Shareholders of Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserve have been the real gainers ;)
Darth Vader said:
We're a population in billion. If you see iPhone everywhere, then you're living/traveling with the top 10%.
Click to expand...
Top 5%, I'd say
 

lockhrt999

Not a Fan.
Skilled
iPhones are already dominating the Indian cities.
 

6pack

ex-Mod
blr_p said:
Only if it's carrier supported. Could such a model work in India these days with UID ?

Meaning you get some contract with Reliance, Airtel and the like

That's how top end phones end up becoming more widespread because people don't have to pay the total price at the start
Click to expand...
Add to the above, the insane buy back credit their telecom or phone manufacturers give for second hand stuff when you buy a new phone. Just reading how Google is giving $200 credit on pixel 4a and here they are selling pixel 6a at $300+ makes me green with envy. I'm sure old apple iphones go for similar credit when you buy a new apple iphone 15 ultra Max super premium pro.
 

nRiTeCh

Skilled
Apple will never be a mainstream as people in India prefer flexible freedom usage pattern and tons of possibilities where Apple fully suffers compared to Android and is a lot behind on those factors and will never ever go the Android way. So, except the status class and show-off class rest wll be happy with Android! Many people around me are already fed up and shifted to Android and are repenting why they even wasted into Apple all these years when a sub 20-25k Android is way more breathable than Apple slavery...
 
Last edited:

Ir0nMerc

Disciple
asingh said:
Nopes. Never.

They are always north of 1/2 a lakh, even when 2 Generations old. Just an overpriced/status symbol device for people. In my office almost 90% carry these phones--well even I did, then learnt the lesson of life.

Ninja Edit:
Dying to get a Samsung Flip. But they are so expensive.
Click to expand...
True. It's never going to be mainstream. Cost of the device is the only factor.

Most people buy it for showing off. There are much better phone available for one third or half the cost.
 

desiibond

Skilled
The average selling price of smartphone in India is $224. Even the cheapest older generation iPhone cost three times and nee generation one costs 5-6times in India. Apple products will not be mainstream products in India.
 

nRiTeCh

Skilled
Ir0nMerc said:
True. It's never going to be mainstream. Cost of the device is the only factor.

Most people buy it for showing off. There are much better phone available for one third or half the cost.
Click to expand...
Not just cost, imagine tied only to apple softwares like itunes, icloud etc. for there so called security reasons.
Even truecaller doesn't work flawlessly let be other apps.
Android isn't insecure in any ways and just that its open-source doesn't mean it sucks or lacks integrity. Remember its on Linux kernel which is the most trustworthy...
 
Last edited:

Ir0nMerc

Disciple
nRiTeCh said:
Not just cost, imagine tied only to apple softwares like itunes, icloud etc. for there so called security reasons.
Even truecaller doesn't work flawlessly let be other apps.
Android isn't insecure in any ways and just that its open-source doesn't mean it sucks or lacks integrity. Remember its on Linux kernel which is the most trustworthy...
Click to expand...
I don't think majority would care about iOS ecosystem or security. I also don't think people chose Android because it's more secure or open source or Linux kernel.

If Apple make iPhone cheaper like Redmi (10-20k range) then I am sure everybody will jump ship. So yeah, price is the only factor here. That's the only reason why Xiaomi became so big.
 

nRiTeCh

Skilled
Ir0nMerc said:
I also don't think people chose Android because it's more secure or open source or Linux kernel.
Click to expand...
I didn't say that...people chose Android due to its open nature to do anything, Its your own device, no one is stopping you from doing anything with it! Truly your own stuff!

And this Android class of people seldom bother about Ios security as theres Android offers same level of security and if you want one then you are provided with security tokens from the appropriate authorities!

Ir0nMerc said:
If Apple make iPhone cheaper like Redmi (10-20k range) then I am sure everybody will jump ship. So yeah, price is the only factor here. That's the only reason why Xiaomi became so big.
Click to expand...
This is never ever gonna happen...even their phones for newborn will cost 25k!