Certainty is rare in the tech world, but Apple has been harnessing the quality for years. Take a look at iPhones. The market share of the device in India is on the upswing as Apple continues to focus on domestic manufacturing and distribution expansion. But that’s just one part of the story. We often forget the range of iPhones that are currently available.

There’s an iPhone for everyone

Every September, a bunch of new iPhones make it to the market. In the last few years, we have seen four models appear at a time. Plus, there is the occasional iPhone SE or a lower-cost iPhone, the latest being the one that appeared in 2022.

Consider the pricing: The iPhone SE (2022) is available for Rs 47,600. On the other end of the spectrum is the latest — iPhone 16 Pro Max (begins at Rs 144,900). You can also opt for iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 series.

The devices appear at regular intervals and take full advantage of the App Store which continues to see an explosion of third-party apps, whose range, variation and ingenuity continue to astonish.

It works for a long time

This is a critical point when buying an iPhone. Many still have the iPhone XR and iPhone XS that were released in 2018, yet it takes advantage of iOS 18 software update. And it’s not about software support for the sake of it — the UI remains buttery smooth. Unless you are out of storage and don’t want to upgrade your iCloud plans, you won’t be out of luck.

That’s rarely the case for Android phones, no matter how much you have spent on it. For example, consider the A17 Pro chip that first powered iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max from 2023. It’s still far more powerful than most of the chips being released at the moment. Apple’s cores tend to be bigger and more individually powerful. Further, the Cupertino company maintains control over all the verticals — hardware to software. Depending on the feature set it plans to release over a period of time, chipsets are being pushed out.

Still exciting

Many owners of Android phones may say design iteration doesn’t take place every year with the iPhone. If you look at the overall smartphone industry, premium phones undergo design change once every few years.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Apple is preparing an iPhone for the Ozempic era but in the end, the iPhone is like a glorious sports car. What it does, it does supremely well.

What Apple does is switch up the software to the extreme every year. A new set of features continues to appear year after year, keeping the iPhone relevant.

Pricing is important

File picture of iPhone 16 Pro Max

It’s nearly impossible to deliver a smartphone under Rs 30,000 without making big compromises. Do you want ads in the interface? Do you want fewer security features? Do you want a mediocre camera?

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs speaking about his passion for building computers and other products in 2007 said something interesting: “We just can’t ship junk. So there are thresholds that we can’t cross because of who we are. We want to make the best personal computers in the industry.”

iPhones continue to be premium products but Android phone companies, which once focussed on delivering inexpensive products, are continuing to increase the price tag. Prices of premium and high-end Android smartphones are higher than it was even a couple of years ago, driven by the use of more powerful chipsets for AI use cases along with more powerful memory modules and other components. Any increase in chipset manufacturing cost is ultimately passed down to consumers.

There are also reports that many artificial intelligence (AI) features on some Android phones will ultimately come with a price tag.

Keeps rumour mills turning

The first iPhone appeared in 2007, yet a new series never fails to generate rumours. Talks of slimmer iPhones in September are everywhere. But what we are also interested in is the near future. How about a new iPhone SE? It’s been more than two years since we saw the last one, so bring it on. A new version is reportedly in the works. It is rumoured to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, it comes with Face ID, a USB-C port and a powerful chip, besides an excellent camera.

Steve Jobs holds the iPhone in San Francisco on January 9, 2007

We are also looking forward to Apple’s retail expansion in India. The company’s first two stores in India opened in April 2023 in Delhi and Mumbai, and future Apple Store locations are planned in Bangalore, Pune, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai (once again).

Good resale value

Retailers keep splashing out promotions to lure buyers. But look beyond the shiny appeal of a new phone. Look at resale value. A phone with a high resale value allows you to get back a significant portion of your initial cost when it’s time to upgrade, making the next gadget more cost-effective and even helping you justify spending more upfront on a quality device. A new iPhone 16 Pro will have a higher resale value even in a few years compared to most rival numbers. For frequent upgraders, resale value will always remain an important aspect.