INDIA: Reliance Jio and Apple today announced a freebie deal for those who purchase any of the recent iPhone models, including the iPhone 7.
Under the offer, every customer purchasing a new iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus or iPhone SE at Reliance Digital and selecting Apple Premium Resellers and Apple Authorized Resellers will get unlimited local, STD, and national roaming voice, unlimited text, 20 GB of 4G data, 40 GB of WiFi Data and Unlimited Night 4G data for 12 months.
They will also get an unlimited subscription to premium Jio applications. The total value of the bundle is about Rs 18,000, said the telecom provider.
“Today’s announcement brings together India’s best premium 4G network with the incredible iPhone experience,” said Mathew Oommen, President of Jio. “Jio is India’s 4G-only network, providing high-speed internet across India. The true power of iPhones can now be experienced by all Indian iPhone users on the Jio network.”
For the first time on a mobile network in India, iPhone customers on the Jio Network will be able to watch 300+ channels of LiveTV, have buffer-free FaceTime, and enjoy high-definition voice calling.
The service also includes free home delivery and activation of the SIM.
iPhone customers also get priority in SIM activation, which means that they don’t have to stand in the long queues if there are any.
In addition, all Enterprise customers can get an exclusive discount on a new iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, or iPhone SE with special Jio tariff plans.
Both of the above offers are being sold under Reliance Retail rather than Jio.
The announcement follows Airtel’s move to offer 10 GB of free data per month for one year to all iPhone 7 buyers if they subscribe to any of Airtel’s Infinity Plans.
“iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users can enjoy 10 GB of free 4G/3G data per month for one year with any Airtel Infinity postpaid plan,” Airtel announced in the morning.
Bharti’s Infinity Plans, which offer unlimited calls within the country along with 2 GB of data per month, cost Rs 1,199 excluding tax.
Jio, on its part, offers unlimited calls and 4 GB of data to everyone for Rs 499 per month.
Back in 2013, Reliance Communications Ltd., run by Anil Ambani (brother of Jio’s promoter Mukesh), introduced what was then considered a revolutionary offer of unlimited calls and data with the iPhone.
According to a Zero Plan EMI scheme launched in 2013, the iPhone 4S was made available at a monthly EMI of Rs 2,499 with a 24-month contract along with true unlimited free calls, SMS, National Roaming, and 3G Data.
The plan was a big hit in zones like Mumbai and Delhi, where RCom had a strong 3G presence.
However, it didn’t make much of an impact in circles where the company had no, or weak, 3G networks.
Despite being one of the top two brands globally, Apple does not figure in the top five smartphone brands in India.
Similar schemes that last for 24 months have long been in existence in the iPhone’s home market of the US. These schemes, which offer the phone at very low prices, have been crucial to the penetration that the model enjoys in its home market.
The iPhone 7 128 GB is priced at Rs 70,000 in India.
