Gulf countries are known to have cheaper electronics especially iPhones and other flagship devices. Our editor recently bought an iPhone 15 Pro Max from the electronics market in Dubai. But was it a wise decision? Let’s find out!

iPhones are known to cost a kidney! Samsung flagships too! But is there a way we can get these high-priced phones at a discount? Well, actually yes.

Dubai is not only famous for its glam but for its cheaper electronics too. If you happen to visit the city and get attracted to the pomp and show, you might give in and think of showing off your latest iPhone! But wait, there is something you need to know first.

iPhone 15 Pro Max 256 GB retails at around $1200 in the US. When we went to the Apple store in the famous Dubai Mall, it was available at around AED 4400, which is also around $1193. So it costs almost the same.

However, if you go to the Bur Dubai Electronics market or the Meena Bazar, you may find an iPhone 15 pro max for a couple of hundred dollars less. But should you buy it? The answer is NO. It is not worth the risk! It may also be noted that the US version comes with a dual eSIM option without any physical SIM slot but you may find iPhones with both physical SIM slots in the Dubai markets.

If you happen to live anywhere else other than the US or Canada, chances are that your country adds taxes to the iPhone imports. In that case, it is feasible to take the risk and purchase the iPhone from Dubai since you might get a discount of around 300 to 400 dollars. But you need to put in a few checks before buying it from the unauthorized electronics shops of Bur Dubai.

-Always make sure you unseal the box right in front of you.

-Check for any visible signs of wear and tear.

-Visit the checkcoverage.apple.com website and put in your serial number. It will show you exactly how old the phone is and whether it has been registered earlier or not.

-Check if the battery health is 100%

The same is the case with the latest Samsung S24 Ultra 256GB. It retails for around $1200 and costs the same around $1150 when converted from AED.

So, it might be a wise decision to stick to buying the phone in your home country and avoid buying phones from foreign countries.