As the increased GST (goods and services tax) rate on smartphones goes into effect in India, most phone makers are announcing the updated prices for their entire portfolio today. After Xiaomi, Samsung, and Apple, Chinese giant Realme has confirmed that it is increasing the price of its smartphones as well.
In an official statement, attached below, Realme boasts that it’s the first time that the company is hiking phone prices since the second half of 2018. The reasons cited are all the same. A 50% increase in GST on smartphones (from 12% to 18%) in India, rupee depreciation, and supply chain shortages due to the COVID-19 outbreak are the key reasons for the price hike. You can read Realme’s official statement in the letter attached below:
The letter further mentions that the updated prices for Realme phones can be found on the company’s official website. Well, that’s true. The recently launched Realme 6 and 6 Pro were already unveiled at higher price tags compared to their predecessor. But, with the former now starting at Rs. 13,999 and the latter still sitting a notch above the Poco X2 at Rs. 17,999 could draw even more criticism from the fans.
The updated retail prices are now live and we’ve made it easier for you to spot the price difference (before and after comparison) with the table attached below:
| Model | Old Price (INR) | New Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Realme 6 (4GB+64GB) | 12,999 | 13,999 |
| Realme 6 (6GB+128GB) | 14,999 | 15,999 |
| Realme 6 (8GB+128GB) | 15,999 | 16,999 |
| Realme 6 Pro (6GB+64GB) | 16,999 | 17,999 |
| Realme 6 Pro (6GB+128GB) | 17,999 | 18,999 |
| Realme 6 Pro (8GB+128GB) | 18,999 | 19,999 |
| Realme X50 Pro 5G (6GB+128GB) | 37,999 | 39,999 |
| Realme X50 Pro 5G (8GB+128GB) | 39,999 | 41,999 |
| Realme X50 Pro 5G (12GB+256GB) | 44,999 | 47,999 |
| Realme X2 Pro (6GB+64GB) | 27,999 | 29,999 |
| Realme X2 Pro (8GB+128GB) | 29,999 | 31,999 |
| Realme X2 Pro (12GB+256GB) | 33,999 | 35,999 |
| Realme C3 | starts at Rs. 6,999 | starts at Rs. 7,499 |
| Realme X2 | starts at Rs. 16,999 | starts at Rs. 17,999 |
| Realme XT | starts at Rs. 15,999 | starts at Rs. 16,999 |
| Realme 5i | starts at Rs. 8,999 | starts at Rs. 9,999 |
As you can see, Realme has bumped up the prices of the budget phones by Rs. 1,000 whereas the flagship phones have received Rs. 2,000 – Rs. 3,000 price increase. The upcoming Narzo series, as previously revealed by Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth, will not see any price hikes. The company will absorb the GST hike for its upcoming phone series. You can head to this link to check out the updated prices for the rest of the smartphones in Realme’s lineup.
So yeah, every phone maker has shared the revised prices list for its portfolio in India to combat the 50% GST hike levied on smartphones. Were you planning to buy any of these Realme phones after the lockdown? Do you still plan to? Do let us know in the comments below.
