iPhone 8 sales soar in Oman

Muscat: Sales of the new iPhone 8 in the first weekend since its launch are double what retailers forecast, according to the Sultanate’s official distributor.
iPhone distributors in Oman are bracing themselves for a large numbers of customers, after Apple’s iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were released in the Sultanate, at midnight on October 19.
Oman’s MI Store is the official distributor of the iPhone in the Sultanate, and they have been publicising Apple’s latest offering at their outlets across the nation.
“This year, it is better-that-expected, because we didn’t think it would do so well, especially with the announcement of the iPhone 10 by Apple,” said a spokesperson for the store.
“We also held promotional events and a schedule leading up to the launch, in City Centre Muscat, and it was a very good launch for us.”
“We also had a pre-booking operation at MI Store, and the response was much better than we expected,” he added. “Compared with last year, we’ve also got immense stock supplies, and compared with last year, we’ve got a much improved stock, so we are fortunately able to cater to the demand of all of our customers. We’ve sold double the numbers we expected.”
We did good business on Friday and Saturday, and we expect that this month, business with the iPhone will be booming.”
Enquiries about the iPhone began to come in a few days before the official launch.
“We have been getting at least 10 inquiries a day on our website, and more than 20 inquiries a day through Facebook, during the last week,” revealed the spokesman. “The purpose of the entire Apple brand is to provide a very good experience, and you cannot imagine, but see that experience on the customer’s face.”
“Their delight is very easy to see,” he added. “They are very excited when they get the iPhone.”
Both of Oman’s major telecom providers—Omantel and Ooredoo—are looking forward to seeing customers come in to buy the new phones.
“Smartphone enthusiasts can now get their hands on the exciting new device from Apple,” said Feras Al Shaikh, director of Consumer Sales at Ooredoo. “We are just as excited as our customers about the new iPhone, with its enhanced digital features, which range from a stunning 12 megapixel camera to a high-powered chip, which will transform augmented reality in handsets.”
“This is the most technologically advanced phone to hit the market in years and it is a pleasure to bring this to customers and further enrich their digital worlds.”
Omantel, on the other hand, has introduced a monthly payment plan to allow residents to acquire iPhones almost immediately, while paying for them in monthly instalments.
“With no down payment, and for as little as OMR8 a month, the iPhone 8 could be yours today,” they tweeted.
Both phones come in two variants, the 64 GB and the 256 GB models. While the 64 GB iPhone 8 Plus costs OMR362, the 256 GB model is priced at OMR430. In addition, the iPhone 8’s 64GB edition is available for OMR318, while the 256GB version is priced at OMR386, according to Omantel’s official website.