Last Updated: January 24, 2024, 08:00 IST
Apple Watch models in the US face new restrictions so no point getting from there
Apple has been hit with a major restriction with the Apple Watch in its home market and that means people should stop buying from there.
Apple Watch or any other Apple product is loved by Indians so they try their best to get them on a good deal. In most cases, that means asking a cousin or even friend to get it from the US. This has been done for years with iPhones and Apple Watches but for varying reasons that practice might have to end, and people would actually do well by buying from India itself.
Recently, Apple had to stop selling the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models in the US because of a patent dispute. The company was eventually allowed to sell but at the cost of disabling the blood oxygen health feature in the region. So, long story short, buying the Apple Watch from the US and using it in India means you might pay less for the product but you will lose the health feature and be unable to use it here.
The limitation is only for the new Apple Watch models that the company is shipping to the stores in the US. So that Rs 5,000 to 10,000 that you save on buying the Watch from the US and get it shipped to India will be rendered moot if an important feature is not available on the device.
For instance, if you want to pick up the 45mm Apple Watch Series 9 model in India, it will come down to Rs 42,000 with bank offers in place. While, buying the same model in the US will cost you Rs 35,000 but that is before the taxes in the US which adds another Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 to the final amount.
So, in the end you’re left with a difference of just Rs 3,000 between the price in India and the US. If you plan on buying the Apple Watch, especially for the blood oxygen feature, then we strongly advise you to buy it from India and get all the features unlocked out of the box without paying a premium to have access to these tools.
