Sometimes you might get an iPhone at a lower price from Dubai. And if you are just about to visit Dubai, it might be a great idea to get an iPhone from Dubai. But wait, are iPhones in Dubai good? Let’s see!
Is It Worth Buying an iPhone From Dubai?
It is worth buying an iPhone from Dubai, from an Apple-certified Online Store or physical store but you will get a middle east (ME) iPhone which comes with iMessage & FaceTime removed. Dubai iPhones are around 22% cheaper than Indian iPhones.
Generally, the authorized resellers in any country get the Apple products from Apple’s local suppliers from that country.
But the third-party sellers mostly import a bulk of their products from different countries around the world.
It might not be easy for them to tell every time from where the iPhone has originated. Hence, to make things simpler, they use the term “International Version.”
There’s no such international version of the iPhone. So no matter where you buy, whether it is in Dubai or any other country, the features of the iPhone are going to be almost the same.
The only things are that the iPhone in specific countries is designed to work best with cellular networks available in that country, the open network frequency ranges in that country, and follow the jurisdiction in that country.
By the way, if you already have an iPhone but are still not sure whether or not it needs to be replaced, then I encourage you to check out my detailed guide on the seven signs your iPhone needs to be replaced.
Is It Cheaper To Buy Apple Products in Dubai?
It is cheaper to buy Apple products in Dubai compared to some other countries. For example, it can be expensive to buy Apple products from India compared to Dubai because some Apple products get imported from outside of India. In addition, customs duties, taxes, etc., get added to it, which ultimately makes it expensive.
Here are some factors that make Apple products in Dubai cheaper compared to other countries:
- Tax rates
- Currency Influence
- Logistics
Different countries have different taxation systems and different regulations. Some countries have better tax systems, while others may have stricter tax systems. So depending on that, the price of the Apple product may differ.
For example, when specialists compared the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11, it was 23 percent and 14 percent more expensive in India than in the UAE.
So it is likely that the taxes are one of the reasons why the same apple product price is different in different countries.
Another reason is that the iPhone is generally expensive in countries like India compared to UAE is because Apple has no manufacturing unit within the country.
As per thequint.com, for a company to set up manufacturing in the country, as per the Indian Foreign Direct Investment policy, the company has to source 30 percent of the components locally, which is not possible for something like the iPhone.
Apple is expensive in the Indian market because the brand can’t have their store since they can’t avail FDI in single-brand retail. It forces Apple to collaborate with Indian retail agencies, which ultimately results in many intermediaries before the Apple product reach the final end-user.
And each mediator will take some money from the line and maintain the margin of profit. So, Apple has to increase the price.
Usually, there are no such heavy tax regulations or other reasons that make Apple products expensive in Dubai. Therefore it is cheaper to buy Apple products from Dubai.
While buying the Apple product, if you wonder whether or not it is worth it to buy it from a reseller or Apple Store, I highly recommend you check this article where I explained it in detail.
Does iPhone Cost Less in Dubai?
iPhone costs less in Dubai than in some countries, specifically India, where various taxes make the iPhones expensive. For example, the iPhone 12 Pro was so expensive in India that you could fly to Dubai and back to India and still have enough money to spare for the phone.
For instance, see the below table, which tells you the price of the iPhone 12 Pro for 128 GB.
| India: iPhone 12 Pro Price for 128 GB | Rs 1,19,000 |
| Dubai: iPhone 12 Pro Price for 128 GB | Rs 84,000. (It costs Dh 4,199 in Dubai |
If you booked a flight ticket from New Delhi to Dubai, you would have to spend the following:
- Flight ticket: Indigo Rs 17929 (approximately)
- iPhone 12 Pro 128GB: 84,000
- Additional expenses: Rs 10,000
- Total: Around Rs 1,11,929
- The money you would save: Around Rs 8000
Please note that all the prices mentioned may differ now, but this is to give you an idea of the cost difference!
Also, here I have shown you facts depending upon the difference in the iPhone price in Dubai and India.
Usually, the cheapest place to buy an iPhone is in Japan, followed by Australia, South Korea, and then the United States.
So if you stay outside Dubai and you aren’t from India, please make sure that whether or not the iPhone is available in Dubai is cheaper or not compared to one available in your country.
You won’t like to purchase the iPhone and later discover that it was already available at a lower price in your country!
Are iPhones in Dubai Different?
iPhones in Dubai are almost the same as available elsewhere worldwide except for a few tiny things. In the UAE, the iPhones don’t have FaceTime preinstalled. However, after the IOS 13.6, FaceTime now works for the UAE users by simply switching to a different country through the phone settings.
Even so, Facetime will not work in the UAE without the use of a VPN. As per support.apple.com, Facetime isn’t available in the United Arab Emirates.
In the Japanese version of the iPhone, you will hear a shutter sound each time you take a picture.
And the iPhones that are specifically for Japan don’t have the option to turn off the shutter sound from the phone settings. But if you get the UAE iPhone, then you can turn off the camera shutter sound.
If you are considering comparing the iPhone of the UAE version with that of the US, please note that they may differ in terms of their supported LTE bandwidths.
Now, you might be concerned about whether or not you will get the
Apple warranties, right? Well, the thing is that Apple doesn’t clearly state whether or not the iPhone has an international warranty.
As per the Apple One Year Limited Warranty Page, Apple may repair or replace Apple Products, where the International service is available. Moreover, it is also highlighted that Apple may restrict the warranty service for iPhone to the country where Apple or its authorized distributors originally sold the device.
So it is still not very clear whether or not you will get a warranty. But one thing I would advise you when you buy an iPhone from Dubai or anywhere else is to get the original bill for the Apple Product. This way, you can at least have hope of claiming the warranty later on.
To learn more about iPhone Warranties, I also recommend checking out my complete guide on iPhone Warranties.