A new report from Times of India claims that Apple is seeking permission from the Indian government to import pre-owned iPhones into the country, and has submitted a formal request to the ministry of environment and forests to begin doing so.
This piece of news was revealed by telecom minster Ravi Shankar Prasad while replying to a question asked to him on whether any company has sought permission from the Indian government to sell refurbished smartphones in the country.
“An application from Apple regarding import of certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India and manufacturing certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India has been received in the ministry of environment and forests,” telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply to the Parliament of India’s Rajya Sabha.
India is increasingly becoming a key market for Apple, where the iPhone is considered a status symbol. The company is already on track to open a new campus in Hyderabad, and it has also submitted an application to the DIPP seeking permission to set up its own retail stores in the country.
This isn’t just interesting for fans in India who cannot afford the latest iPhone models, but also for everyone else because if the government approves Apple’s request, India will become the first country where Apple will sell used iPhones.
And if that goes well, Apple might replicate the experiment in its other markets, giving cash-strapped fans even more ways to buy the iPhone. iPhone sales in India grew 76 percent lat year and 38 percent in the holiday quarter so it’s not surprising to see Apple continuing to invest in India in the long-term.
The much rumored 4-inch iPhone SE is also expected to be targeted towards the Indian and Chinese smartphone markets, where there is a high demand for an iPhone, but not everyone can afford it.
Source: The Times of India
Apple seeking permission to Sell Used iPhones in India