The iPhone- a revolutionary mobile device, with breakthrough internet service and widescreen iPod was must awaited by its prospective buyers in Inida. But on the fateful day of lunching the iPhone the buyers were disappointed with the cost one would have to bear to enjoy the luxury of this phone. Ranging between Rs31,000 to Rs36,000 the Indian consumer would have to pay four times more than what a US consumer would be paying. On the actual lunch event, on 22Aug’08 at midnight, there were not enough onlookers available as compared to any other country on its launch day.
Even after its launch and no change in price has not lured the buyers in India. Today the US market being within easy reach to Indian consumer, they can enjoy the same phone at $200 USD, which as of today is Rs9500 approx. Considering also the fact, today there is a huge variety of phones available and one has the ability to decide and choose a phone with a little less features, with the price fitting into one’s budget. The question still remains what went wrong while deciding the pricing strategy in India? As per Economic Times on 24Aug’08 – The snazzy gizmo failed to draw crowds to the stores of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar in sharp contrast to the international markets where iPhone lovers had queued up the whole night to buy the handset. The mood was subdued at the midnight launch of iPhone at Mumbai’s Infiniti Mall with Friday being a working day. The stage was set for a grand launch, complete with confetti and cheerleaders, but at the stroke of midnight, there were just 10 people who actually bought the high-end device. At a Vodafone store in Connaught Place, Central Delhi, journalists outnumbered customers by a huge margin. Only about 15 customers turned up to buy the phone. The Airtel retail store nearby wore a deserted look on Friday afternoon, with not a single customer buying the iPhone. In Gurgaon, Airtel unveiled the iPhone at Sahara Mall. Despite the frenzy, the D-day did not quite match the expectations with just about 35-40 people lining up to buy the coveted smartphone.
Today all we do is wait for the prices to come down and see if the service providers and targeting the masses or the niche.
