This isn’t the first time India has been in the news for manufacturing iPhones. Starting with the iPhone SE in 2016 to the iPhone 7 and XR we manufactured last year, Apple has been sending enough work our way already. So, on the face of it, adding another model to the production line isn’t really a big deal.
But it is. Oh, it is!
Because now, we aren’t limited to manufacturing one of the lower priced models. With the iPhone 11, we’ll be producing a top-of-the-line flagship model right here in India. What an honour for us! *moderate dose of sarcasm*
And if that isn’t patriotic enough for you, the iPhone 11 plant that Foxconn is setting up near Chennai will also reduce Apple’s dependence on China. There, now we can declare yet another victory over China. *heavy dose of sarcasm*
But all shades of patriotism aside, I have only one thing that I am concerned about with the iPhone 11 being manufactured in India – “Discount kitna milega, bhai?“
Because, after all, being a true Indian means that you never pay the full price for anything. Ever. And you always ask about the discount. Always.
So talking about things that make our hearts flutter (apna sapna money money!), by manufacturing the iPhone 11 in India, we save on the 22% per cent duty we pay on imported products. That in itself could translate to whopping reductions in the price of the phone.
But before you start doing your happy dance and calculating how much money you’re going to save or who all in your family are getting the new made-in-India iPhone 11, hold on. Just hold on.
Apple hasn’t launched an official statement as yet on the revised rates of the iPhone 11. So we can only appeal to the kindness of their hearts and ask them to take pity on us poor people with limited incomes (and lofty ambitions – gareeb hai par iPhone chahiye!) and launch the phones at a price that doesn’t shock us into a brain melt.
Please, Apple. Pretty please. Don’t break my heart! Don’t dash my dreams.
