Xiaomi, Oppo and Apple have announced increase in the smartphone prices as GST on mobile phones has increased by 50% from 12% to 18% effective 1st April 2020.

Well, it is not great news for people who were just about to buy a smartphone but postponed their plans owing to lockdown.

Last month, Xiaomi India MD, Manu Kumar Jain, made a plea to the PM and the Finance Minister not to increase GST, but it seems like they turned deaf ear to his plea.

Manu Kumar Jain in his tweet last month wrote, “My humble request to Hon. PM @NarendraModi ji and FM @nsitharaman ji – please reconsider this #GST hike. The industry is already struggling with depreciating INR & supply chain disruption due to Covid-19. At least all devices under $200 (=₹15,000) must be exempted from this.”

My humble request to Hon. PM @NarendraModi ji and FM @nsitharaman ji – please reconsider this #GST hike.🙏

The industry is already struggling with depreciating INR & supply chain disruption due to Covid-19.

At least all devices under $200 (=₹15,000) must be exempted from this. https://t.co/hOMpSpTyKk

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) March 14, 2020

As Govt. didn’t change its plan, smartphone manufacturers had to increase the prices of smartphones.

Yesterday, Manu Kumar Jain tweeted, “Mi fans, #GST on mobile phones has increased by 50% from 12% to 18%. After much deliberation & in keeping with #Xiaomi policy of maintaining <5% margin on our hardware products,we will be increasing prices of our products. New prices will be effective immediately. Thank you!”

Mi fans, #GST on mobile phones has increased by 50% from 12% to 18%.

After much deliberation & in keeping with #Xiaomi policy of maintaining <5% margin on our hardware products,we will be increasing prices of our products.

New prices will be effective immediately. Thank you! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/mdTqKdXm3r

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) March 31, 2020

Apple and Oppo also announced the price hike owing to the GST hike. The price hike for Apple’s iPhones is around 5%.

Here is the latest price list of Apple phones according to Livemint–

iPhone 11 Pro Max (64GB)

Older price- ₹1,11,200, New price- ₹1,17,100

iPhone 11 Pro (64GB)

Older price- ₹1,01,200, New price- ₹1,06,600.

iPhone 11 base model

Older price- ₹64,900, New price- ₹68.300.

iPhone XR 64GB variant

Older price ₹49,900, New price- ₹52,500.

Below is the list of change in price of Oppo smartphones according to Gadgets.ndtv

Oppo increased smartphone prices up to Rs 2000 owing to the same reason.