• Source:JND

Apple MacBook Neo And iPhone 17e: Apple recently launched two entry-level devices, the MacBook Neo and the iPhone 17e, and with these devices the Cupertino-based tech giant seems to be moving in a different direction when it comes to the pricing of the said devices. Apple has deliberately kept the prices for these entry-level devices low in order to focus more on its market expansion in India. For the two products, Apple has employed an aggressive pricing scheme, that too at a time when rival brands have to mark up the prices on their products. This move also showcases Apple's move to get more and more people engaged with its ecosystem, market experts have expressed.

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Looking at the trends, it can be observed that this trend of declining device prices started in 2025, with Apple's average selling price (ASP) of the iPhone decreasing by almost 2% in 2025 compared to the year before that, even though smartphone prices as a whole posted an increase, according to research firm Omdia. This decline in average pricing is attributed to the launch of the iPhone 16e, with which Apple opened up its ecosystem with a much cheaper entry-level device as well as raising sales of older legacy iPhones.

As far as the laptop market is considered in India, the ASP usually goes up to Rs 55,000-Rs 60,000; that is, people are usually willing to spend this much amount on average to get a laptop, and Apple's offering usually costs double the price mentioned above, research firm IDC notes. But this has changed with its latest MacBook Neo that lets customers inside the Apple ecosystem at a cheaper price. Before this, the entry point into the MacBook ecosystem stood at Rs 85,000, which has been effectively brought down by MacBook Neo to Rs 69,900.

Apple is very well milking the advantages of its position and massive scale, while other industry players struggle to keep up with the rising component costs in the market, industry experts suggest. An industry expert expressed, "The company's supply chain leverage provides enough of a cushion to maintain aggressive pricing, allowing it to steal market share while competitors are forced to hike prices or restrict production."

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Apple might be looking forward to scaling its ecosystem rather than deriving immediate profits from early sales of its hardware, which some other players in the industry are doing, the industry executive expressed. Apple’s play is simple. Get aspirational users into its ecosystem first, then build on that over time. Once you’re in, spending naturally expands, whether it’s on devices like the Apple Watch and AirPods or services such as the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple TV.


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