The Mac-maker is hoping that the device will help it recoup market share in these countries and other developing markets, where few carriers offer subsidies on their smartphones and prices of consumer electronics tend to run much higher than the global average…
Here’s The Economic Times:
“Apple has broken with tradition and revived the production of iPhone 4 just for India, Indonesia and Brazil, said three senior executives with direct knowledge of the company’s plan.
The maker of iPads and MacBooks is betting the lower price point will help it wrest volumes from Samsung’s Grand and S4 Mini, and recoup market share that has slumped, largely because it didn’t have phones that were cheap enough.â€
The site says that Foxconn has already started producing these new iPhone 4 models, and points out that this is the first time in Apple’s history that it has resurrected a discontinued product. Production of the iPhone 4 ceased following the 5s launch last fall.
And to be honest, it’s probably a smart move. The entry-level iPhone 5s sells for nearly $900 in India, which is obviously pretty pricey in a country where carriers don’t subsidize handsets. The 8GB iPhone 4, however, sells for a much more manageable $360 at full retail.