One kidney: That’s what a Washington DC-based Indian-origin scientist thinks Apple’s newest gadget is worth in India.
The joke wouldn’t be lost on his countrymen who’ll have to shell out up to Rs1,02,000 ($1,594) for the company’s newest gadgets.
Apple launched its latest smartphone models—the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X—on Sept. 12 in the US, and (like every time) the devices come at a premium in India.
Here’s the price list:
(Source: NDTV Gadgets)
The models will be launched in India on Nov. 03 and pre-orders will be accepted from Oct. 27. Unsurprisingly, social media users in the country are already tickled.
And in case you have that kind of money to spare on something that’s likely to be outdated in a year, may we suggest some alternatives to splurge on:
An overseas trip: For less than what the lower-end iPhone X costs, you could spend seven days in Spain, including airfare and sightseeing excursions of Madrid and Zaragoza. In fact, you could even take someone along to Indonesia, Thailand, or Singapore.
High-end gym membership: Think healthy. Even the annual membership to the popular Gold’s Gym costs Rs35,100 (in Bengaluru), less than half of what an iPhone 8 Plus costs.
Sponsor a child for over eight years: At the price of the cheapest model, you could sponsor a child’s education for over 100 months. NGO World Vision’s child support programme costs just Rs800 a month and ensures education, healthcare, and clean drinking water.
Motorbikes/cars:
Enough said.
Of course, there are also several second-hand cars that cost only as much as the latest iPhones.
Gaming: Buy an XBox One console and several games for it for the price of an iPhone8. Besides gaming, it lets users browse the web, make calls via Skype on a big screen, and even save money on a gym membership (by working out with Kinect).
Run your house for months: If you live in a metro, the money spent on a top-end iPhone X could cover your household expenditure for five months; if you live in an under-developed rural area, it could go up to 10 months. The average monthly household expense in metro cities is Rs20,227; in under-developed rural India, it is Rs9,423, according to a 2016 survey.
Two iPhones: If your heart is set on an iPhone, you could settle for an older version—even the immediate predecessor of the latest models. And why just one? You could buy two iPhone 7s for the price of a top-end iPhone X.
No doubt the new models have new features like a glass back for wireless charging (iPhone 8) and facial recognition option (iPhone X), but not many seem sold on those.