The iPhone 13 price on launch was expected to be the same as iPhone 12 but it seems like iPhone lovers have to pay some extra money for this latest series. However, there has been no official word from Apple over this and no “strategic leaks” have taken place so far either. In any case, Apple iPhones are not cheap to start with. However, people go for it for various reasons including its performance and of course, it is a big status symbol for many. However, the question that now arises is whether the likely hike in iPhone 13 price will actually be more than what people can bear?
It is being speculated that the price may be hiked by as much as ₹5000 approximately. You could lay the blame on Apple, but the fact is that this stems more from the Covid-19 pandemic situation than anything that the company has done or not done. There is a massive shortage of chipsets across the world and it is affecting the production, and prices, of everything from cars to smartphones. TSMC is the supplier of chipsets to Apple.The latest casualty may well have been the JioPhone Next, which has been dubbed as the cheapest 4G smartphone, from Reliance Industries and Google. The smartphone’s launch has been postponed from September 10 to a nebulous date near Diwali. No firm date has been announced.
Another question raised here is whether Apple will absorb this cost or pass it on to buyers. It is not a small amount to absorb though. However, the competition is tight from other manufacturers, especially from China, not to mention South Korean tech major Samsung. So, pressure will be on Apple to hold the price hikes.
