Apple iPhone 16 could come in India with a cheaper price tag: Here's why

Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 16 series at its annual launch event in September. Ahead of the much-awaited launch, media reports suggest the latest edition of Apple’s flagship smartphone could come in India at a reduced price.

The iPhone 16 could retail at a lower price due to two major reasons, an import duty cut on smartphones and expanded local assembling of the phone in India.

The tech giant plans to start manufacturing the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in India soon after its global launch, according to a Bloomberg report.

Apple started assembling iPhones in India in 2017 with older or lower budget models of the flagship smartphones. The iPhone 14 marked the first time manufacturer Foxconn started building the new model in India soon after the global launch. The company also assembled the iPhone 15.

Apple has so far stuck to assembling the base model of the iPhones in India.

The government slashed the basic customs duty (BCD) on imported mobile phones in a key Budget decision, bringing it down to 17% from 22%.

This reduction has resulted in a reduction in the current lineup of iPhone prices by up to ₹5,900 ($71), according to reports.

The iPhone 15 Pro underwent a price reduction of ₹5,100 ($61) as its price reduced to ₹1,29,800 from ₹1,34,900. Apple’s other flagship model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max saw a price reduction of ₹5,900 and is currently retailing at ₹1,54,000.

The price of the iPhone 15’s base model was reduced from ₹79,900 ($960) to ₹79,600 ($957).

The reduction in the base model’s price is relatively lower compared to the Pro models, however, it establishes a precedent for potentially lower launch prices for the iPhone 16 series.