Local government formally bans Apple from selling pre-owned iPhones in India

-


The most profitable company on the face of the earth is confronted with a nearly unprecedented rough patch, as mobile device sales in general and iPhone demand in particular appears to dwindle, especially on the Western hemisphere.



China and India could come to Apple’s rescue, at least until the radically redesigned AMOLED iPhone 7s of next year enters the picture, but as long as Tim Cook refuses to “lower the quality bar” and pander to budget-conscious audiences, share in the world’s two largest markets is unlikely to dramatically build up.


Cupertino won’t be allowed favorable legal workarounds anytime soon on Indian shores either, as its CEO’s much-hyped recent visit failed to change Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mind. Just as suspected, the local government scrapped Apple’s refurbished iPhone import initiative, with commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday quoted as saying “we are not in favor of any company selling used phones in the country, however certified they may be.”

That’s in direct response to Cook’s assurances of the “pristine condition” pre-owned iPhones are sold in, with promises of refurb treatments taking place in India doing little to appease Modi. Fears of the “Make in India” program being turned into “Dump in India”, as well as pressure from domestic and foreign Android manufacturers, ultimately outweighed the obvious benefits of keeping a tech colossus like Apple happy.

Worse yet, Tim Cook can’t be certain of receiving the green light for India-established Apple stores in the near future either, as the 30 percent local sourcing norm is still in effect, and Foxconn has a long way to go until starting to assemble iPhones in Maharashtra.


Source: pocketnow
Source: Live Mint

Follow us on Twitter
Like our page on Facebook

Popular posts from this blog

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro could be headed outside of China

-
Image
Looks like the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) - which was launched back in March this year, and is currently officially only available for purchase in China - could soon be landing in other markets worldwide. While the device launched in China carries a model number of SM-A9100, a Samsung SM-A910F has been spotted listed on India's import/export tracking website Zauba. While there's no confirmation on exactly which regions will get the Galaxy A9 Pro, a polish retailer is has reportedly already started accepting pre-orders for the device, suggesting that Europe is on the list. In case you don't already know, the A9 Pro is a slightly upgraded version of the A9 with 4GB RAM, 32GB memory, and 16MP rear camera. It also packs in a 5,000mAh battery and runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Source: gsmarena Via Follow us on Twitter Like our page on Facebook
Read more

Updated Google Contacts app makes it easier to get rid of duplicates

-
Image
Google is pushing out an updated version of its contacts management app, bringing some of the features available in the web version to the Android app. The v 1.5 update reorganizes the user interface of Google Contacts. Instead of the two tabs – all and favorites – the app now just displays your entire contact list, with a sidebar menu available via the hamburger button on the left. Opening that up reveals a new section for managing duplicate contacts. That’s a feature that was present on the web app of Contacts , but the process was more convoluted on the Android app. You can now also add labels to your contacts, making it easy to organize large contact lists based on groups, for things like family, work, or school. That’s another feature that was present on the web app and it’s now finally making the jump to the Android app, a place where it’s actually more likely to be used. Google Contacts 1.5 is currently rolling out to all users, so it should land on your
Read more

LG showcases new rollable 65” OLED display

-
Image
LG Display used CES 2018 in Las Vegas to officially unveil its new OLED displays - one of them being a 65-inch 4K flexible screen that can be rolled like a newspaper. The other is an 88” 8K OLED panel that we told you about last week. The flexibility of the 65” OLED display makes it easier to transport or store in the corner. Its small size allows for better space utilization, meaning you can take the TV anytime, anywhere and “enjoy bright, high-resolution content”. LG Display will also showcase its latest upgrades of the IPS technology. The panels now have IPS nano-color, “which expresses rich colors using nanoscale high-color reproduction particles, and IPS technology, which increases the transmittance and reduces the intensity of light reflected on the panel.”, said the company in a press release. Source: gsmarena Source Follow us on Twitter Like our page on Facebook
Read more