Apple Launches iPhone 16e In India, To Start At INR 59,900

iPhone maker Apple has launched the latest addition to its iPhone 16 series, iPhone 16e in India. 

The iPhone16e, launched on Wednesday (February 19), will be available for pre-order in 59 countries, including India, from February 21. The availability of the latest smartphones will begin from February 28, the company said. 

In India, the device will be priced at INR 59,900 for the 128GB base model. It will also be available in 256GB and 512GB variants, priced at INR 69,900 and INR 89,900, respectively.

The iPhone 16e includes Apple Intelligence features and has a single 48-megapixel rear camera. It has a 6.1 inch screen and will be available in black and white matte finishes. 

“In April, users will be able to update their primary iPhone language to Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, or Urdu,” the company said in a statement.

India has emerged as a key market for Apple over the last few years. The company posted record quarterly sales in India during the October-December quarter, with iPhone becoming the top selling smartphone model in the country during the period.

It opened two retail stores in Delhi and Mumbai in 2023, and is now planning to open four more retail stores in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi NCR and Mumbai. 

Besides, India has also emerged as a key manufacturing destination for the US-based company as it looks to diversify its manufacturing facilities beyond China. The company surpassed INR 1 Lakh Cr mark in iPhone exports from India in 2024, with total shipments reaching a record $12.8 Bn (around INR 1.08 Lakh Cr). This was an increase of 42% from 2023. 

Apple’s iPhone assembly and manufacturing capacity in India has grown rapidly, and now it’s looking to build an ecosystem for its contract manufacturing stack. 

Earlier this week, it was reported that Japanese iPhone components manufacturer Murata Manufacturing is considering shifting some of its production capacity to India. Last month, Apple also kicked off discussions with auto components major Bharat Forge Ltd to make Kalyani Group one of its vendors in the country.

Further bolstering the manufacturing efforts, Apple recently set up a new subsidiary called Apple Operations India, aimed at research, design, testing and providing support to third party manufacturers.