iPhone auctions; price drop on smartphones, laptops...

The energy is almost electrifying on Friday morning, as cheers reverberate across the various retail stands of Gitex Shopper. The consumer electronics expo has reached its final 48 hours to the Oct 4 grand finale, amidst further price discounts, auctions every 30 minutes and more freebies added to the already burgeoning bundles.

One Mobile has revealed it will be holding Dh1 auctions every 30 minutes or so after the Friday prayers, with devices going under the hammer including the iPhone 5s, the HTC M8 and the iPad Mini.

Sales staff reveal that the iPhone 5s has been one of the fastest movers this Shopper, with a competitive pricing strategy in wake of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus’ arrival last month.

The other fast mover has been the HTC M8 phone, while the BlackBerry Passport, which made a late arrival into the Shopper this week has already sold out across most retailers at the Dubai World Trade Centre event, with One Mobile revealing that all 100 units at its stand sold out on Thursday after it arrived earlier that day.

Meanwhile, Emax has revealed that the Huawei P7 smartphone has been one of the bestsellers at the 8-day event, with the retailer selling the device for Dh1,699, bundling it up with a free 32-inch TV and a free airline ticket to one among 25 destinations of choice.

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is another strong contender emerging, with Jacky’s Electronics offering the smartphone with a free TV, along with a smart bundle or a Dh400 gift voucher. The entire deal costs Dh1,999.

Witnessing another price cut are BlackBerry smartphones with the Q10 now available for Dh780 with a freebie bundle that includes a Bluetooth headset, a car charger, and a screen protector.

The popular iPad Mini has also seen a drop in price, with the 16GB now retailing at various outlets for Dh999, while the 64GB is going for Dh1,499.

The category that has witnessed the biggest price cut are laptops, with retailers also introducing hour deals and better value bundles.

The Acer Aspire E15, which was earlier retailing at Sharaf DG for Dh1,999 is now being sold for Dh1,499; while the HP i7 Touch has dropped from Dh3,299 to Dh2,799 at Plug Ins. The latter’s bundle still includes a printer, a headset, a Bluetooth speaker and an anti virus.

In anticipation of the record numbers of visitors expected to descend on GITEX Shopper during the Eid holiday weekend, the Shopper will remain open until midnight for its final two days.

The Middle East’s largest consumer electronics and IT show will now run from 11am until midnight on Friday and Saturday, offering shoppers 13 hours each day to snap up deals and bargains.

Extended metro timings will also be in place to add to the convenience of shoppers. Entry tickets cost Dh30 and are available at the venue and from selected Emarat outlets. Entry is free for children below the age of five.

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