Cheapest new iPhone in Vietnam now starts at $770 as older models vanish

Older iPhone generations had long offered Vietnamese consumers a more affordable way to buy Apple's smartphones, with some models previously selling for around half the current entry price.

The 11, launched in 2019, and 12, released in 2020, remained available through authorized retailers until mid-2025, with prices falling to around VND10 million. These older models allowed Apple to reach budget-conscious consumers who could not afford its latest devices.

Van Thi Ngoc Yen, Apple product director at electronics retailer Di Dong Viet, told Dan Tri newspaper that midrange iPhones typically accounted for 12-15% of the retailer's iPhone sales. However, rising smartphone prices have made consumers more cautious about their purchases, she said.

Diffrent iPhone models in camera mode. Photo from Pexels

The market began changing as the 13 and 14 became increasingly scarce before disappearing from authorized retailers' shelves around the middle of this year.

Meanwhile, Apple raised prices across several models amid higher component costs, further pushing up the minimum price of a new iPhone. Apple's official online store in Vietnam now lists no iPhone for less than VND20 million. The 17e, introduced in March at VND18 million, has risen to VND22 million.

Prices at authorized retailers have also increased, with the cheapest available 15 and 17e models now starting at around VND20 million.

A representative of electronics retailer Hoang Ha Mobile said price fluctuations among older iPhone models had sharply reduced demand for those devices, although short-term changes did not necessarily reflect broader market trends.

Minh Tuan Mobile said the disappearance of older models had raised the entry price for a new, officially distributed iPhone, potentially putting the devices beyond the reach of some budget-conscious consumers who previously relied on discounted older generations.