Apple launched iPhone 8 series and iPhone X on September 12. During the launch event and subsequently in the official product page, the Cupertino-based tech company has highlighted the fact that the smartphone has been integrated with fast charging support. However, the shocking news is that the fast charging feature will work only if you purchase a special charger and cable worth Rs. 6500. Otherwise, the phone will charge normally and you will not be able to take advantage of the fast charging functionality embedded on t the device.
According to India Today, you will have to purchase a high-capacity charger and USB-C to Lightning cable to charge the iPhone 8 and iPhone X quickly via the fast charging technology. The 29W charger is available for Rs. 5500 in India.
When it comes to the cable, you will need to spend Rs. 1200. The pricing will vary depending upon the circumstances. In the end, you will end up with spending Rs. 7000 including taxes only for the charger and the cable. The company will not bundle the charger and the relevant cable inside the product box of the iPhone.
No assurance
Even if you purchase the fast charger and the cable there is no guarantee that it will work for the lifetime. After two years, you will be again forced to pay huge money for the charger and the cable. Sometimes, you will find it difficult to locate the product and will be required to buy from untrusted sellers such as eBay.
Apple has implemented fast charging by default, which is identical to that of Xiaomi, OnePlus, Motorola and other companies. However, the function will work only if the device is plugged in to a compatible charger, which is not bundled with the device. The real fact is different since you will have to purchase a separate accessory for fast charging.
Lack of sense
It doesn’t make any real sense to purchase accessory worth Rs. 7000 after investing a huge amount of more than Rs. 70000 for the smartphone alone. The iPhone X will be reportedly priced above Rs. 1 Lakh and forcing users to buy a charger kit is not in good taste. Apple should bundle the required charger with the product package if they are serious about selling the iPhone X like hot cakes.
Compatible chargers
We purchased two units of LeEco handsets in 2016 and the fast charging cable failed to work a few months back. Interestingly, the company closed the India office and also their official shopping portal. Hence, we don’t have any other option other than to purchase a compatible third-party charging cable from trusted companies such as Mivi.
We have been using Mivi USB Type-C charging cable, which is available for only Rs. 500 and it is working very well. We are not sure as to whether you can make use of the Mivi cable for your iPhone 8 or iPhone X in case the original cable fails. We have options wide open when it comes to Android-based devices.
Service possibility
Apple will not close down like LeEco but you have to make sure that there are alternative accessories such as charger and cable available before investing huge amount for the device. Even if the iPhone X display fails, we don’t have any idea as to whether India based service centers will be able to replace it.
The devices with an OLED display will be very expensive to service. Moreover, the spare parts will not be available in India. Hence, you will have to double think before proceeding to buy the newly released iPhone X.
It is to be noted that the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are similar to that of the previous counterparts. Hence, the availability of spare parts and other accessories will not be much problem.
Will you really spend Rs. 6500 just for a charger and the cable after purchasing a costly phone for above Rs. 60000? Please share your opinion.
