It is no secret that Apple is working feverishly to get more iPhones into customers’ hands in India and one of the ways to accomplish this goal will be selling used handsets in the populous country, according to a new report from The Times of India on Friday.
The iPhone maker has already submitted an application to import and sell refurbished iPhones in India. The Cupertino company currently sells refurbished Mac, iPad and iPod products through via its online stores, but not iPhones.
“An application from Apple regarding import of certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India and manufacturing certified pre-owned iPhones for sale in India has been received in the ministry of environment and forests,” telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, adding that the Indian government has not taken any decision on the matter.
Apple recently removed the iPhone 4s and 5c from sale in India and has filed an application seeking permits to build and operate its own retail stores there, in addition to bringing 500 ‘Authorized Mobility Resellers’ locations to twelve Indian cities.
This isn’t just interesting for fans in India who cannot afford the latest iPhone models, but also for everyone else because if the government approves Apple’s request, India will become the first country where Apple will sell used iPhones.
And if that goes well, Apple might replicate the experiment in its other markets, giving cash-strapped fans even more ways to buy the iPhone. iPhone sales in India grew 76 percent lat year and 38 percent in the holiday quarter so it’s not surprising to see Apple continuing to invest in India in the long-term.
Apple’s sales in India topped $1 billion for the first time in the year ended March 2015. With population of 1.25 billion people, India is the world’s third market for smartphones and the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world.
Source: The Times of India