Apple Watch: Pricing and cheaper options for India

Will hit the market after a few months

Apple’s most ‘personal device yet’, Apple Watch, is expected to hit India in July. The base model is estimated to be priced at Rs 30,000, with its expensive editions going up to Rs 10 lakh.

The company is yet to divulge the exact date of availability of Apple Watch in India. According to market sources, Apple is likely to stick to its existing distribution model to push Apple Watch. However, Apple enthusiasts expect the company to bring its latest invention to India earlier. Between 2009 and 2014, Apple reduced the wait time for iPhone from 337 days for iPhone4 to 28 days for iPhone6.

Globally, Apple Watch will be available for preview from April 10 in nine countries, including the US, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK. Consumers will be able to buy from April 24.

While Apple fans don’t compromise with alternatives, the Indian market is full of smart watches — about 10 of them are already available or are soon-to-be-launched — at much competitive prices. Apple will have to compete with these, considering the fact that India is still a price sensitive market, and rivals such as Samsung and Motorola are pushing hard here.

The market price for Motorola’s Moto360 is Rs 17,999, while Samsung’s Galaxy Gear comes for Rs 14,290 and Galaxy Gear 2 Note is slightly pricey at Rs 17,590 and it has Gear S. Sony’s SmartWatch3 is available for Rs 18,699, SmartWatch2 for Rs 9,450 and its SmartWatch MN2 costs Rs 6,670. LG has priced its LGW100 at Rs 9,399. The price of Pebble is Rs 9,733, while Pebble Steel is priced at Rs 17,000.

Some models that were showcased in the recently-held Mobile World Congress are yet to be launched in India.

According to reports, Samsung dominate the smartwatch market globally by selling 1.2 million (2014 figures). In 2014, the total market size was 6.8 million worth $1.3 billion. Forrester Research has projected about 10 million units of Apple Watch will be sold globally by the end of 2015.

Indian watch makers such as Titan have also announced their plans to launch smart watches during the year, which are most likely to be priced much cheaper. If price is a consideration, India could be a tough turf for Apple Watch.

While tech enthusiasts might like Apple, watch connoisseurs might not rely on it for luxury watches. For, Apple is not known for making luxury watches.