Edunology - Saumya Aggarwal

Is Apple iPhone 4S really for Indian buyers?

Apple's latest iPhone 4S has finally entered the Indian market, almost a month after the device was launched in the U.S. Aircel and Airtel are offering the iPhone 4s, priced at more than four times the U.S.price of $199, it's well subsidised by carriers there. The iPhone 4S has not created the same buzz in India despit iPhone 4s seen as last device of Steve Jobs. Many of the Apple enthusiasts are disappointed over the pricing at a higher cost than other nations, including the U.K. and Singapore. Considering the initial market response, the iPhone 4S seems unlikely to excite the India buyers in the near future. However, is it just the steep pricing of the iPhone 4S that is going to keep the buyers at bay? Let's find out:

I - iPhone 4S pricing

iPhone 4S pricing, the 16GB variant, comes for Rs. 44,500, while the 32GB is available for Rs. 50,900. It was quite surprising to see Apple and the telecom operators Airtel and Aircel agreeing such steep pricing. India is certainly one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world. But expecting the Indian consumers, already grappling with the price rise, to shell out Rs. 45k for a smartphone is not practical enough. Moreover, the telecom operators Airtel and Aircel are not subsidising cost of the phone, unlike their western peers. However, the iPhone 4S may find buyers among affluent professionals in India who like possessing iconic brands and luxury items.

II - Known battery life issues

Apple had to release an updated iOS 5.0.1 version after several iPhone 4S users complained about its battery life. Apple says the iOS 5.0.1 update brings various other changes to the platform including bug fixes for FreeType and iCloud documents. However, many users are reportedly still grappling with the problem and report that the update does not actually fix the battery life issue.

III - It's just a minor upgrade

The new iPhone 4S does feature a faster ARM Cortex A9 dual-core 1GHz processor, an 8MP camera and 1080p HD video support. It also features the voice recognition-based personal assistant, Siri. Apart from these, rest of the specs including the design are quite similar to the iPhone 4. Moreover, the iPhone 4S comes with the same 1,420 mAh battery, carried forward from the iPhone 4. Also, Siri is limited outside the U.S and is likely to get full-functionality by only sometime in 2012.


Alternative top end devices

So, what alternatives do you have right now? Well, the iPhone 4 is not still a bad deal. Or, you can wait for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which is the first device to sport the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The device is speculated to arrive in India by earlier next year. Another option is the Samsung Galaxy S II, which comes with all the top-end smartphone features and is priced a good Rs. 15,000 less than the iPhone 4S. A number of Android smartphones, like the LG Optimus 2X, and the new super-slim Motorola Razr are also available at a relatively cheap price. Of course, these are just the top-end devices, if we decide to look for top-notch performance at affordable prices, the options open up even further - with devices like the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini and Xperia Arc, the Motorola Defy+, the LG Optimus Black, Samsung Omnia W and Galaxy SL all delivering the goods without breaking the bank.

If you are still adamant on buying the latest iPhone 4S, we suggest you get the unlocked version from abroad at a relatively lower price.