So we finally got the official retail price of the iPhone 4 from Globe today and while the price point is within the expected range, it turns out it is more expensive by at least 12%. Here’s what we got from a little digging.
The original no-contract price of the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 is $699PHP 41,021INR 59,240EUR 666CNY 5,088 (32GB) in the US via AT&T (exclusive of taxes). When the iPhone 3GS was released with Globe Telecom last year, the prepaid price was Php42,250USD 720INR 61,034EUR 686CNY 5,243 (which includes taxes and some margins).
At that time (July 2009), the exchange rate was in the Php48USD 0.82INR 69EUR 0.78CNY 6 : $1PHP 59INR 85EUR 0.95CNY 7, which makes it about $880PHP 51,643INR 74,580EUR 838CNY 6,405 when converted back to dollars.
Today (September 2010), the exchange rates are a bit lower — Php43.9USD 0.75INR 63EUR 0.71CNY 5 : $1PHP 59INR 85EUR 0.95CNY 7. Common sense would dictate the local Philippine price would have also gone down, right? Nope.
Turns out the 32GB iPhone 4 will retail for Php43,699USD 745INR 63,128EUR 709CNY 5,423. In today’s exchange rates, that amount is equivalent to a staggering $1,002PHP 58,803INR 84,919EUR 954CNY 7,293!
Had they followed the $880PHP 51,643INR 74,580EUR 838CNY 6,405 intro price from last year, it would have been only Php38,600USD 658INR 55,762EUR 626CNY 4,790. A difference of Php5,100USD 87INR 7,367EUR 83CNY 633.
A $1,002PHP 58,803INR 84,919EUR 954CNY 7,293-dollar 32GB iPhone 4 translates to:
Now, why would the price of the iPhone 4 in the Philippines gone up instead of down? Here are several possibilities:
The numbers above are just loose estimates but they represent a trend. I remember that a lot of people were complaining about the launch price of the iPhone 3GS before that Globe decided to slash the prices a week before the release date. Maybe they’ll surprise us again. Who knows?
YugaTech.com is the largest and longest-running technology site in the Philippines. Originally established in October 2002, the site was transformed into a full-fledged technology platform in 2005.
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Jay says:
ang Hirap talagang mamuhay dito sa Pilipinas! not your average tech enthusiast haven..
kumag says:
Overprice ang globe! how much na lang kaya ung 3gs?
AkoSiBatMan says:
Now, why would the price of the iPhone 4 in the Philippines gone up instead of down?
Very simple…MAXIMIZE PROFITS! Since they are the lone supplier in the Philippines..they can dictate the prices! Capitalism thrives!
Wakocoke says:
mabuhay ang gray market!
sansan says:
i saw one store in MOA a while ago, they are selling 32Gb iphone4 for more than 50k! i could get a hardcore laptop for that price… or even a macbook!
Eason says:
Sheez, even mega cellular is selling iPhone around 40k and its even openline. In short why buy at globe for cellphones if its even locked + more expensive. People with plans are the only ones to get that.
calvin says:
i think you should compare it to the selling price in other countries. magkano ba sa singapore?
sa UK 599 pounds ang 32GB. mga 41k++ pesos din yun so hindi ganun nagkakalayo.
Nitecrawler says:
AFAIK..globe iPhone 3GS stocks are gone few months back. My reserve loyalty iPhone 3GS was given to other buyer as soon as I told them that I will avail instead of the iPhone 4. But with that price!!! The CSR guy who will call me will hear a bucket full of expletive from me instead…LOL
Caloy says:
An open line iPhone 4 from Hong Kong sells for roughly PhP35,000 through the official Apple website. Similar price on Singapore I think for the same situation. That’s already for the 32gig version! Sobrang mahal dito!
Abe Olandres says:
@calvin – UK has a 17.5% VAT while the Philippines only has 12%.
rye says:
may nanalo na ba sa contest on guess the iphone price? wala akong update dun eh.
tantra2gadget says:
Hehehe,i cant afford iph0ne 4 expected price,maybe buying samsung wave is the best remedy
Elbert Lo says:
Globe should just buy their iPhones from the SG or HK Apple Stores for less than P30,000. And that’s unlocked!
This type of behavior from Globe is the reason why they’re now lagging behind Smart and Sun.
Fleeb says:
@Elbert, I do not think that’s how it works.
Mr.A says:
They just used their old introductory price. I don’t think they consulted the market value of the IPhone.
iphonedevpinoy says:
capitalism, ho!
Chad says:
regarding the previous iphone 3G in the US you can have it for only $99 with an AT&T plan in their apple website.
Rolex says:
@Yuga, you’re wrong.
$699/$1002 translates to 70%.
30% is the price difference from the US no-contract price of $699.
leeto says:
Hay nako! let us be practical, ang daming brands na mas mura. Kaya mahal yan kasi monopolized ng Globe. Wag tayo padadala sa mga kalokohan na ganun. Juan panahon na para tayo magising>
Abe Olandres says:
@rolex – here’s the formula:
%diff = {(PH Price – US Price) / US Price } * 100%
Please try that.
Jhay says:
Hopefully the price would be slashed this week. I have a feeling my aunt would reconsider her reservation when she finds out about the current price.
bariles says:
PROFITEERING.
No other reason but the selfish motive of PROFITEERING!!
Los propietarios mestizos de español GLOBE deben ser llevados a la cárcel!
Al diablo con los Ayala!
gigi que says:
well marami pa rin kasing mayayaman at mayayabang na naloloko ang Globe at Apple.
batu-bato sa langit…
gigi que says:
@bariles
the thing is, it’s no longer an Ayala majority controlled company.
you have to blame the Singaporeans. Singtel owns 47.3344% of Globe Telecom.
Source: http://www.pse.org.ph/html/ListedCompanies/pdf/2010/GLO_Top100_Jun2010.pdf
Arvee says:
@elbert Of course, they can’t do that. And even if Globe can do that, imagine the import tax they have to pay for every unit coming inside the country.
We could put the blame on Globe, but come to think of it, kung Smart or Sun ang nakakuha ng distribution rights ng iPhone, ganun lang din naman ang magiging presyo.
Still, Gray Market FTW. Apple, WTF.
Sunofa says:
tignan niyo naman ang price pag naka line… its way cheaper kahit plan 299 brings down the price by almost 8k… I think sinadya nila taasan ang prepaid price para dumami ulet postpaid subscribers nila… cause much reasonable naman ang prices ng postpaid
kyx says:
I think we also have to consider that Globe isn’t just paying for the units. They’re also paying for the rights.
Also, I’ve never thought that converting currencies indicate actual value differences (remember the inter-country bigmac price difference?).
jhoravi says:
Hi yuga,
Does that apply to HTC phones here as well?
poche says:
yep sana naman slash nila malaking bagay na din ang 3-5k sa panahon ngayon. saka para dumami din yun gumamit ng iphone.
or if madami demand malamang slash ng globe un price several weeks after launch.
pabs says:
If you can’t afford iphone, the best and I think the better alternative is the Samsung Galaxy and the Nokia N8
Joshua M says:
Kurakot talga globe. Hirap talaga bumili dito sa official wew. anyway about the contest?
Joshua M says:
Si Globe lang talga ang nag gagawa ng prices.
sabi ni Steve “We want this to be in the hands of everyone”
Globe says “F that!”
Anyway I’m buying an iPod Touch and a good dSLR in exchange for the cam. I’m not gonna use it for stills. I just want the A4 chip and retina display and development purposes. I would buy an iPhone if Globe wouldn’t be such an A hole with the pricing.
Anyway im on globe network paren lol
kukuoz says:
globe is more evil than apple…
AkoSiBatMan says:
High Price + Bad Service = NO TO GLOBE!!!
Joshua M says:
Kung makakalipat lang ng carrier… like SUN or SMART wew pero parang malabo un its like iPhone on Verizon
Dude2cool says:
Trust me you dont want the iphone4 when you have tried a high end Android phone (if your techie). Yes the resolution is great but that’s all your getting. So much for a revolutionary phone. Front facing cameras and Video calls are not tech revolutions, their antenna gate issue is LOL. And dont get me started about the price here in Phils. Its crap. I got my HTC Desire Android now and I say its way way better than my 3GS which i still use as my sun phone. Might as well buy iPod Touch 4th Gen. I’m planning to. Anyways, that’s just me. If your not too techie enough to for an android and wants something “user friendly” (like my aunt who got her iPhone4 from Canada) and got money to burn and waste…. your choice then. LOL.
Joshua M says:
@Dude2cool sige, techie ka na ba pag Android user ka imbes na iOS user?
yizhan says:
This is the Philippines… what else we could think of.. >.<
dude2cool says:
@Joshua m If you know how to customize a smartphone from its stock UI to your liking that works for you. If you know how to root an Android and edit it’s ROM and have apps and converted media files placed and installed directly on it. Then perhaps that passes as techie. Coz for me it does. And you can’t do these things on iOS’. You can jailbreak though, assuming if your techie enough to know how to. If not, you can always pay someone to do it for you(minus techie point though lol). But thats it. So yeah, just few points that says techie for me.
Joshua M says:
@dude2cool iOS is still software
Joey says:
When considering FOREX rates, taking current exchange rates may be misleading. Globe may have locked in their delivery orders weeks/months ago, and booked FOREX contracts (locking in a FX rate) to cover payment of the units. If so, those FX contracts may be pegged at a higher exchange rate then what we have currently, and the cost is being passed on to the consumer. It sucks, but no corporate Treasurer would allow that kind of FX risk as an overhang.
mel says:
IP4 is not for everyone
Jamby says:
I think Yuga’s third reasoning why it costs so much tells it all…
dami kse gusto kumuha agad-agad at magkaroon…e kung i-try natin na walang kumuha sa launch nito….cgurado bababa yan after a few months…
Louie says:
Yup force Globe na magbaba ng Presyo iboycott ang first 15-30 Days im sure baba yan bigla then magbibigay sila ng Pre-Christmas Promo. Hinde dapat ganun kataas yung price eh and besides China is getting Iphone 4 na rin Im sure magkakaroon naman bagong source ng pagbibilhan aside from HK… Baba rin yan to 38K at least after a month October to November. Well I would say na mataas na rin count ng android kaya mapipilitan din naman magbaba eh hahaha… chillax lang ako bagsak presyo lang din yan after a month…
Winner says:
got an unlocked iP4 for my globe, next.. a high end android phone for my smart line and nokia for my Sun :-)
icedragon says:
This is definitely not for me.
The price is awful. Verging on the ridiculous.
I can do a lot more with my money.
But for the well-heeled, why not?
I’d rather get an Itouch.
Alren says:
Awful. :(
nexusboy says:
“Inventory of remaining older units might have prevented Globe from pushing the prices down. If they adjusted the prices of the 3GS and 3G, they might not be making any profits from its sale.”
uhmmm, the price for iPhone 3GS and 3G are OVERPRICED to begin with. so the real reason in preventing Globe from pushing the prices to go down is the PROFIT to go down when that happens. simple as that. and yet again, GLOBE has earned the reputation of ridiculous pricing due to GREED.
unlocked iPhone4 – 16GB is only sold for Php 28,300 in HongKong.
dude2cool says:
I agree with nexusboy. My tita bought hers from canada for an equivalent of 27k ++ only and she bought me an htc desire for 24k equivalent to pesos also. So yeah, talk about overpricing. Lol for globe.
sonny says:
I’d rather buy galaxy s, htc desire or xperia x10(when android 2.1 is out)rahter than buying this from globe
- first time iphone4 user- says:
enough with the price wars, exchanges of comments..
alot of people STILL lined up for the iphone4 during the launch last sunday sept 26. i was one of those who waited so long just to have this! hehe..
my point is- if can buy one, great! go ahead and get one.
for those who cant, stop whinning about the price. it may be unreasonable but it is IPHONE4. people want to be the first in getting this one heck of a (smart)phone.
illogical as it may seem, but alot of consumers buy it (IPHON4)
what you (those who CANT afford) should do—- save enough money and go buy one the next time apple launch a new iphone, perhaps iphone6! hehe LOL
thats what i did back then (launch of iphone3g here)!
Poor says:
Your a dumb arse. There is something called smart buying. You don’t buy something like overpriced things. Buy it where it’s reasonable. Ipon ako ipon then buy jak arse
dude2cool says:
@first time iphone4 user Aw. your funny. Please, dont assume that because we whine we don’t have the bucks to buy one. LOL. If you happen to have read the few comments, that “thing” that you just bought only cost 28k+ in the US without contract which i could have let my aunt bought buy for me but chose not to and had her get me the HTC Desire instead. And I’m all good with my 3GS. I happen to read reviews and infos before purchasing techie stuffs. I dont rely on hypes. LOL
lynem says:
@ first time iphone- oo nga. masyado mo naman hinhamak mga tao.. considering everything, like taxes, etc. dapat iphone4 should not be priced at that level. mejo reasonable pa din dapat.
- first time iphone4 user- says:
@dude2cool: first, i did not buy this phone because of the hype, or fad o nakikiuso lang. and secondly, kaya nga ko bumili because i also read reviews not only from yugatech but also from other blog/reviews (gsmarena.com, mobile, technblog)
what i meant was the price cannot be compared with other countries because not all have the same procedure like taxes and other fees globe has to pay. also, its the consumers who are to be blamed din because even with the price at this level, they are willing to pay. giving more reason for globe to increase the price because of the demand.
hehe peace!
dude2cool says:
@first time iphone4 user Well. If that was your point. Fine. You where just so blustered about how you got your iPhone4 and brag about whiners not affording “it” in your previous comment that’s why i reacted.
Guess you dint get to read technical reviews and comparisons on smartphones though. Those review sites you mentioned are mostly advert/promo purposes. Meaning they get paid for doing it by the company they make reviews of. You should try Phonedog, pocketnow and Smartphoneenvy. No bias there and there you’ll get my point. And for God’s sake the price here is way off verging on ridiculous. With the price here, I could get an Archos70 tablet, and an HTC Desire in abroad. And to think that the Desire and iP4 are of the same price range if you buy them off contact. LMAO. Im too practical for that.
Good for me I got someone to buy stuff from abroad.
Good for you that you got money to burn though. Like literally…
iPhone 4ever! says:
well these prices don’t compare to the one i saw at Infomax Trinoma.
32GB for 80K??!! WTF! haha
mikee says:
Globe is stupid. No wonder their stocks are down. Just plain stupid. Im a globe user for 8years now so dont get me wrong. but i really hope Globe crashes.
cory zeanah says:
yep sana naman slash nila malaking bagay na din ang 3-5k sa panahon ngayon. saka para dumami din yun gumamit ng iphone.
or if madami demand malamang slash ng globe un price several weeks after launch.
ryan13 says:
Hi peeps! Im selling Iphone4 for 38K. Sealed and brand new. Please comment if you’re interested.
Thanks!
Dominican says:
Overall an end user friendly site, several great points! This is usually a well written article, I most certainly will try and read others. With Respect
computerized sewing machines says:
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Cola Grill says:
do you have a post regarding iphone 4s?