There is no end to luxury. Smartphones are increasingly taking the next stage in luxury with competition heating up for ultra-luxury handsets set in gold and platinum. The latest being the Apple’s iPhone 6, which is rumoured to be just a few weeks away from launch.
Since Apple products get under the spotlight even before their launch, the much-talked about iPhone 6 is hogging the limelight for its bigger size. As the IT giant prepares for iPhone 6 launch in few weeks’ time, pre-orders have already begun for the new gadget.
But the pre-orders aren’t limited to just the ‘regular’ iPhone 6 – luxury retailers have begun undertaking advance orders for a gilded new device.
Luxury gift and specialist gold plating company Goldgenie is taking pre-orders for iPhone 6 embellished in classic 24ct Gold, Rose Gold and Platinum Elite and a specific limited collection designed for the Gulf region. The Gulf edition of iPhones 6 will be limited to 99 of each finish.
Likely to go on sales on September 9, 2014, iPhone 6 is expected to come in two sizes with a 4.7-inch size to be launched first followed by 5.5-inch handset afterwards. Retailers expect the handset to reach UAE stores by September 20.
London-based Goldgenie claims that the iPhone 6 will be sold for early birds at current customised iPhone 5S rate irrespective of how much the price of the new handset increases by. But it could cost more for later customers due to the bigger size of the iPhone 6, resulting for logically more use of gold in the handset.
The company has priced the Gold iPhone 5s Elite 16GB Black at $3,289.94 (Dh12,070), Rose Gold at $3,640.95 (Dh13,362) and Platinum at $3,694.94 (Dh13,560) on its website.
Goldgenie is guaranteeing the availability of the new customised iPhone 6 at the existing 24ct Gold iPhone 5s range, so prices start at $3,700 to customers who place a 50 per cent deposit before the launch. The balance will be due at the time of Apple’s release and Goldgenie says it will deliver the customised versions “soon after”.
The firm claims to have received 1,436 luxury customised iPhone 5s orders within the first 3 months of the launch. The London firm maintains it has already taken 300 pre-orders for the iPhone 6.