“iPhone 16 models will undoubtedly generate a lot of interest among iPhone 12, 13 and 14 users as Apple Intelligence is finally available on iPhones. Apple Intelligence also brings a much-needed feature to iPhones to match the AI in the Samsung Galaxy lineup,” said Navkendar Singh, associate vice president, IDC India.
Apple Intelligence in the iPhone 16 line harnesses the power of Apple silicon and Apple-built generative models to understand and create language and images, perform actions across apps, and leverage personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks, the company said.
IDC expects Apple to ship 12.5 million to 13 million iPhones in India in 2024, potentially helping Apple achieve a market share of over 8% by volume in India, at nearly three times the market average selling prices (ASPs). The launch may also help consolidate its position at the high end of the market, Singh said.
The iPhone 16 series has been launched in India with its prices unchanged from the previous version. The base iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models start at Rs 79,900 and Rs 89,900 in India respectively, while the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max start at Rs 1,19,900 and Rs 1,49,900 respectively. However, Singh said that the older iPhone models, the iPhone 14 and 15, are doing very well with price drops and affordability offers in the upcoming festive season months. Meanwhile, Apple has slashed the launch prices of its Pro models with the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max starting at Rs 1,19,900 and Rs 1,49,900 respectively.
“The iPhone 16 Pro series, with its more strategic and accessible pricing compared to previous models, is anticipated to drive consumer upgrades in the Indian market and appeal to a larger cohort of Indian consumers,” said Prabhu Ram, head of industry intelligence group, Cybermedia Research (CMR), adding that Apple could enjoy an 8% volume share by the end of 2024 in the country.
“The iPhone 16 comes at a very important time for Apple, especially as Apple showcased its foray into GenAI, which generated positive initial buzz. The launch is also critical in the context of the iPhone’s increasingly long tenure periods,” said Varun Mishra, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research.
However, the research firm does not expect AI features to trigger an upgrade supercycle anytime soon, as as it stands, the use cases offered by Apple may not be compelling enough to get a large portion of users to upgrade their devices sooner than expected.
“The rollout of Apple Intelligence in terms of features and regions is also expected to be staggered, so its full impact is likely to be seen over time,” Mishra said, adding that the company’s AI features will drive a step-by-step cycle of iPhone revenue rather than a one-time upgrade campaign.
IDC’s Singh believes Apple’s unmatched storytelling ability will help get the GenAI message across to consumers.
“The AI generation has been with us for some time now, but consumers are still unclear about its potential and the use cases that can change real-life experiences. Apple could help integrate AI generation technology into a new user experience and deliver a consumer-centric story,” Singh said.
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