Apple will officially begin to sell the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in India starting on October 7, and just like in every other market around the world, it’s thought that thousands will queue to get their hands on the most desirable handsets in the world. However, the masses should not expect to be able to lay their hands on one at the stroke of midnight. Instead, this year they will have to wait until 7 p.m.
iPhone 7 on sale
Why Indian consumers will have to wait until later in the day is a mystery, but a retail chain called iZenica recently told Mashable that this approach from Apple fits with its “This is 7” campaign.
Also the reason could be down to simply getting the handsets to stores, with many not expected to arrive until the afternoon. However, it’s expected that many will line up through the night and most of the day to get their iPhone 7.
In India, you won’t find an Apple Store in Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad. In fact, you won’t find one anywhere in the country because Apple doesn’t sell its products directly there. Instead, it relies on third-party retailers and distributors such as FlipKart, Tata CLiQ, Paytm, and Amazon.
Launch price
You should expect to pay RS 60,000 for the 32GB iPhone 7 in India and RS 72,000 for the iPhone 7 Plus. For the 128GB models, you will have to pay RS 70,000 for the iPhone 7 and RS 80,000 for the 7 Plus. The prices for the 256GB models are RS 80,000 for the smaller handset and RS 92,000 for the Plus.
As you may have noticed, India is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy an iPhone 7. Retail space in India is crowded, and retailers have already leaked information about how to get special deals.
Paytm cash back
On launch day, Paytm will be offering both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Customers who are interested in purchasing either will be entitled to RS 7,000 in cash back. They can take up this offer via merchants who are registered on the Paytm marketplace.
If you’re a Paytm customer and you have pre-ordered an iPhone, deliveries are expected to begin tomorrow, with customers in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida and Bengaluru scheduled to receive theirs first. However, if you live somewhere else in the country, your handset should be with you on October 8 or later.
FlipKart
FlipKart is Apple’s official partner in India, and it will sell the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus via WS Retail, which is its own in-house retailer there; however, pre-orders are available in select cities. These cities are Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi, but to get yours reserved, you’ll have to pay the full cash price up-front.
FlipKart has produced a separate page on its website for the sale of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Its e-commerce arm is offering discounts for trade-ins of older models, starting with RS 21,700 for the iPhone 6s and RS 24,500 for the iPhone 6s Plus. If you have an old iPhone 6 knocking around, it will give you a max of RS 17,900.
Tata Cliq
This retailer is offering deferred cash back on both iPhone 7 models in partnership with HDFC credit and debit cards. The offer has been valid for pre-orders since October 5 and will continue until October 14 or if stocks last.
Ezone
Additionally, the online retailer Ezone is offering as much as RS 10,000 in cash back if you have a Citibank credit card.
Which model will you be purchasing, and with what storage option? Let us know in the comments section below, and tell us about your experience. Did your handset arrive on time? Were you stuck in a queue for hours?
