iPhone 5S up for grabs only for Rs 24,999! Why is Apple slashing prices of its Indian bestseller every month?

Apple does not want to repeat its post-Diwali performance and is doing everything to shore up sales of iPhones in the Indian market.

Worried about the low sales of its iPhone 6s and 6sPlus, Apple has yet again slashed prices of iPhone 5s, which apparently accounts for nearly 50% of total iPhone sales in India.

The slash, a third time in three months, comes in the wake of low sales of its latest iPhones and Apple wants to double India sales in the crucial December quarter.

"The $250-400 (Rs 16,000-Rs 27,000) price band is where Apple wants to focus its energies in India since they want to lock in more consumers into their eco-system which would build up a base for upgradation when newer iPhones are launched," Tarun Pathak, senior telecom analyst at Counterpoint Research, told ET.

Now, iPhone 5s price starts at Rs 24,999, down from Rs 44,500 in September.

Pathak added the total number of consumers in India in the iPhone 5 series was 1.2 million until September 2015.

"Samsung's A and E series smartphones are operating in this price band, but the Korean company has not yet launched any newer models in these segments, hence Apple can significantly gain share this quarter," a senior executive with a leading cellphone chain told ET.

(Image: Reuters)