smartphones of the future
smartphones of the futureReuters

Apple's latest flagships iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be on sale for the first time in India on 7 October and fans couldn't be less excited about this event. Those who want to skip the long queues at Apple reseller stores can directly place an order from Flipkart, which has struck a partnership with Apple to source the new iPhones directly from its maker, BGR India reported.

Since Apple doesn't have an official store in India, its iPhones are sold through authorised retail resellers Beetel Teletech and Redington and through Infibeam online. Flipkart has set up a microsite indicating the arrival of iPhone 7 soon.

Flipkart's site for iPhone 7 highlights all the features of the new flagship, just like on Apple's official website. It is not clear when the new iPhones will be available, but the online retailer is likely to open pre-orders shortly before the official launch in India.

 Who benefits from this new partnership?

Well, it's more of a win-win situation for both.

Apple's partnership with Flipkart allows it to mandate the pricing of its latest iPhones, which was a pressing concern last year when the prices of iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were discounted. Apple doesn't have that liberty over other popular online retailers, Amazon and Snapdeal, which may follow the trend this year as well.

Under the deal, Flipkart may potentially lose out on GMV (gross merchandise volume), but the partnership will give the online retailer necessary marketing support directly from Apple. In addition, Flipkart will no longer have to rely on third-party retailers to source iPhones.

Apple has revealed the new iPhones' pricing in India. They are as follows:

Models Models Price
Apple iPhone 7 32GB Rs. 60,000
64GB Rs. 70,000
256GB Rs. 80,000
Apple iPhone 7 Plus 32GB Rs. 72,000
128GB Rs. 82,000
256GB Rs. 92,000