The Indian government has told turned down an Apple request to import and sell refurbished iPhones in the country, following the predictable opposition from Samsung and others.
The U.S. company’s application has been turned down, the official said, asking to not be identified, citing official policy. Apple has been seeking permission to import and sell used phones to court price-conscious consumers with a similar proposal rejected in 2015 by the environment ministry.
Apple’s request had been heavily opposed by other smartphone companies, including Samsung, Intex, and Micromax. The opposing companies claimed allowing used iPhones into India would trigger a flood of used smartphones in general, and would also be counter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” campaign, which is intended to boost local manufacturers.
While Apple has made some recent gains in India, the market has proved to be a tough nut to crack. The company currently holds a mere 2% of the Indian smartphone market, due ot the comparatively high price of the iPhone, compared to other phones, most of which go for $150 or less.
