We caught up with Chief Commercial Officer at iStore, Linda van der Nest following the highly anticipated launch of the iPhone 16e. Here, she lets us in on the advanced features, and the brand's move towards making the latest technology more accessible to South African consumers through trade-in deals and financing options.
Glamour: What makes the iPhone 16e a more accessible option compared to previous iPhone models?
Linda: iPhone 16e brings fast, power-efficient performance, Incredible battery life, a 2-in-1 camera system with a 48MP Fusion camera, and Apple Intelligence at a price, even more customers can afford. iPhone also holds its value longer than other smartphones and is built to withstand everyday wear and tear.
Glamour: How does the pricing of the iPhone 16e compare to other models in the iPhone 16 range?
Linda: It's the most affordable member of the iPhone 16 family. This means customers can get next-level performance and power efficiency with A18, the best battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone, super-high-resolution photos, and Apple Intelligence at an even more affordable price – starting at only R15 999. With a range of affordability options at the iStore, even more customers can have access to an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence.
Glamour: The device launches in South Africa at the same time as key global markets—how does this reflect Apple’s commitment to accessibility for South African consumers?
Linda: We’re excited that it's launching in South Africa at the same time as key global markets. What makes this launch even more exciting is that the iPhone 16e is designed as a more affordable option, and with iStore’s trade-in deals and financing options, upgrading has never been easier. This allows iStore to bring this great new device to our customers sooner and at an affordable price, making it even more accessible to more people.
Glamour: How does the trade-in program offering up to R22,000 cash back make upgrading more affordable for South Africans?
Linda: Trading in at iStore is one of the best ways to make upgrading more affordable. iStore has some of the best trade in values in the world, thus customers can get great value for their current device and use that towards an instant discount on a brand new iPhone. This means you don’t have to pay the full price upfront, making it an easier and more affordable way to always have the latest iPhone. The trade in value can also be paid to customers as cash straight into their bank account, which means even if a customer is upgrading their cellular contract at iStore they can still get the benefit of the full value of their trade in.
Glamour: Can customers use their trade-in cashback towards any purchase at iStore, or is it exclusive to the iPhone 16e?
Linda: Customers can use their trade-in cashback towards anything – even if it’s a purchase outside of iStore. The cash gets paid into the customer’s account to use on whatever they want, wherever they want. A customer can obviously also choose to use it in iStore, allowing them to purchase a wide range of Apple products, accessories, or services.
Glamour: How does iStore’s trade-in program compare to other global markets in terms of value and flexibility?
Linda: iStore offers some of the best trade in values in the world, ensuring that South African customers can get maximum value for their current iPhone. Customers can also flexibly choose how they want their trade in value applied or paid out – be it as a store credit, cash into their account or even placed onto an iStore gift card.
Glamour: The iCarePlus program includes a guaranteed buy-back at 55% of the original value—how does this make owning an iPhone more financially sustainable?
Linda: iCarePlus is designed to ensure that your new iPhone remains new, but also to ensure that iStore customers can get the best possible value for their iPhone when they are ready to upgrade again. The guaranteed buy-back option helps to reduce the total cost of ownership by allowing customers to recoup a guaranteed portion of their initial investment when they decide to upgrade. iCarePlus also includes a screen repair, an extended Apple warranty and is free with every new iPhone purchased (or taken out on a cellular contract) at iStore.
Glamour: What financing or payment options does iStore offer to make the iPhone 16e more accessible to a wider range of consumers?
Linda: iStore offers various financing and payment options to make iPhone 16e more accessible, including cellular contracts from the 3 major networks (Vodacom, MTN, Telkom), cellular contract price freeze, trade-in, and various finance plans (like the FNB credit card plan). iStore’s Contract price freeze ensures that the contract price of your new iPhone is exactly the same as the contract price you have been paying for your current iPhone (when you trade in), essentially freezing your payments in time.
Glamour: With Apple Intelligence compatibility, how does the iPhone 16e bring advanced AI-driven features to more people at a lower price point?
Linda: iPhone 16e is built for Apple Intelligence, and is the most affordable way for customers to write, express, and get things done effortlessly. They can remove a distraction from a photo with Clean Up, create the perfect emoji within Genmoji, and create fun, personalized images with Image Playground. Customers can also use Writing Tools to help summarize, proofread and rewrite text, and with ChatGPT integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, they can choose to get even more expertise, without having to jump between tools. Apple Intelligence is designed to protect your privacy, so no one can access your data—not even Apple.
Glamour: What role does iStore play in ensuring more South Africans have access to Apple’s latest technology?
Linda: We see ourselves playing an important role of making Apple products more accessible to more South Africans in areas outside of the major shopping malls. We now have 40 stores across South Africa and have recently opened stores in Maponya Mall and Vaal Mall.
Glamour: How does iStore’s support and service offerings enhance the overall ownership experience for iPhone users in South Africa?
Linda: At iStore, we go beyond just selling iPhones—we’re here to support customers throughout their entire ownership experience. Whether it’s expert advice when choosing a device, setup assistance, or ongoing support, we make sure every iPhone user gets the most out of their device. Our iCare extended warranty, Apple-certified repairs, and trade-in options add even more value, giving customers peace of mind and an affordable way to upgrade when the time comes. Plus, with services like free training sessions and in-store technical support, we’re always here to help South Africans get the best experience with their iPhone.
Glamour: What advice would you give to customers looking to upgrade from older iPhone models to the iPhone 16e?
Linda: Customers upgrading from older iPhone models will experience next-level performance with A18, up to 7 more hours of battery life in their day, and be able to capture super-high-resolution photos with the 48MP Fusion camera. They also get the incredible new features like Apple Intelligence, and important safety features including Crash Detection.
