Bharti Airtel has announced a monthly installment option for the buyers of its recently launched iPhone.
One needs to pay a minimum of Rs 31,000 to own this newly launched gadget. The high price has limited the mobile enthusiasts of the country to buy it. So, Bharti has come out with this idea to attract more consumers to purchase the high end iPhone 3G.
Bharti Airtel has partnered with VISA, which will offer easy financing options for all VISA cardholders of ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, SBI Cards and Citibank.
Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer, (Mobile Services) Bharti Airtel, said, "Our partnership with VISA will provide a new opportunity for consumers, who aspire to own the revolutionary iPhone 3G."
He added, "The EMI option is designed to make it simple, convenient and affordable. We are confident that initiatives such as these will further widen the market of iPhone 3G in India."
ICICI Bank credit card holders can purchase the 8 GB iPhone by paying Rs 2,583 a month in 12 installments. In this case, customers will end up paying Rs 30,996 at the end of one year. SBI card holders can buy the phone for Rs 1,654 a month in 24 installments. The 16 GB iPhone, priced at Rs 36,100, can be bought for an EMI of Rs 3,008 for 12 months. There is no upfront payment.
Since its launch, the iPhone has so far received a lukewarm response from Indian consumers. Both Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar have not been able to sell more than 1,500 phones during the first week of launching the product as per the industry estimates.
The huge price tag is the main reason for the slow response of the Indian customers. Most of the mobile enthusiasts in the country are now waiting for the operators to reduce the cost.
Both Airtel and Vodafone said it was too early to give out the official sales numbers. But, the industry sources indicated that the operators might have sold 50-60 phones a store on an average on the first day.
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Posted On : 08 Sep 08
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