Buy-Backs helping Apple iPad mini gain market share in India

Without a true low-end smartphone model to compete with in India, Apple decided to pull the Apple iPhone 4 out of retirement this past January. Apple is doing the same thing with the tablet market. Using the Apple iPad mini as its entry-level slate in the country, the tech titan plans on challenging Samsung in the Indian tablet market. In February, the Cupertino based manufacturer started a buy-back plan in conjunction with the iPad mini and saw tablet sales rise 35% since then.

In some Indian channels, Apple has sold out the 16GB Wi-Fi only version of the iPad mini. Thanks to the buy-back offer (similar to a trade-in), the tablet is priced to compete with Samsung's entry-level slates, along with those made by other manufacturers. Apple originally offered 5000 Rupees ($83 USD) as its buy-back offer, but has since doubled the amount to 10,000 Rupees ($167 USD). That brings down the price consumers pay for the Apple iPad mini down to 17,000 Rupees ($283 USD). 


According to IDC, Samsung led the Indian tablet market last year with an 18.9% market share. Micromax was next with 8.9%, followed by Apple's 7.5%. CMR India's analyst Tarun Pathak expects Apple to have picked up market share thanks to its promotion, but says that Apple needs to do more than count on buy-backs and price cuts to bring in business. 

So far though, the promotions have helped Apple sell its tablet in the country. In India, the iPad has become the second most popular Apple device after the iPhone, beating out the MacBook for the first time.


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source: TimesofIndia