Where to buy the cheapest iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max in Asia

We had our eye on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max since it was announced on 13 Sep 2023. While we managed to get our hands on the new iPhone 15 (we got the blue one, what colour do you prefer?), the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are already out-of-stock in many countries. If we order now, the nearest delivery date is 4-6 weeks later.

This created an unique opportunity for us to consider buying the iPhone overseas. We planned to travel to a few countries in the following months and we wonder if it will be cheaper to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max overseas instead.

We are heading to Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, Japan, Malaysia. So we will focus our analysis on these countries. Turns out, the cheapest countries to get an iPhone isn’t straightforward. We went down the rabbit hole and share what we found out with you here!

iPhone or Android?

When we travel, our phones are the only camera we use. And having both an iPhone and Pixel gave us the best of both worlds during our travels. My Pixel 6A is a temporary phone (my previous Huawei P30 died on me suddenly after 3+ years) till the Techtober new launches are over, and I can decide which flagship phone to get.

My Pixel 6A churns out nice photos without being too saturated (unlike Galaxy) and has smart and useful editing features. But the phone gets hot fast, stays hot and the battery takes a hit. Based on our typical travel use, a full charge could only last till dinner time at best. The Pixel 7 and the upcoming 8 might still suffer from the same issues because Google’s Tensor chip is based on the Exynos design.

Phones from Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO, Oneplus, Vivo have good value options but we are apprehensive about them due to their privacy practices. Our Android options with decent camera performance are thus narrowed down to Google Pixel 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra, Asus Zenfone 10.

The #1 factor that is pushing me to consider switching to iPhone Pro Max is the A17 Pro chip. If rumours are right, the A17 Pro is going to be the only phone chip in the market using 3nm well into 2024. This gives the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max a full year lead compared to any Android flagship phones. When we consider this with the Android flagship phone prices today, the iPhone 15 Pro Max seems like superb value. I am basically buying a “future chip” at today’s prices!

We prefer the iPhone 15 Pro Max over the Pro for the larger screen size, bigger battery, bigger base storage and 5x zoom. All necessary features when we travel with it as our main camera.

iPhone 15 Pro Max Prices (Base Model)

Can you guess which country has the “cheapest” iPhone 15 Pro Max?

Below are the listed prices on the respective Apple.com websites. We did not include other countries in Asia where the prices are above South Korea’s. We added the USA (California) price for comparison too.

If we only consider paying retail prices, Japan and Hong Kong are over S$200 cheaper than Singapore! However, a key benefit of shopping as a tourist is the tax refund we can potentially get. What will the prices look like when we consider tourist tax refunds?

Tourist Tax Refund for iPhone

Tourist tax refunds can be confusing to navigate as a tourist. We have our fair share of confusion in every country we visit. But with some patience, planning and time, it might be worth it when the tax refund is a substantial amount.

Please ask the retail staff for assistance about how to get your refund as every country has different rules. There are countries that only allow refunds for items that are not used in their country (sealed in a bag) or some require you to show the item to the officer at the counter for validation.

Also, we aren’t including the fees companies like Global Blue charge for facilitating the tax refund as such fees vary widely.

With these out of the way, can you guess again which country has the “cheapest” iPhone 15 Pro Max?

Did you guess that Japan would be the cheapest? The next cheaper option is over S$100 more! California and Hong Kong do not have tax refunds for tourists. Malaysia has GST tax refund for approved outlets even though the taxes aren’t shown on apple.com.

The safest way to save on tax is through duty-free shopping at the airport. If the airport has an Apple store or an authorised Apple reseller, it will be good to check with the store when you arrive and buy it when you depart the country.

Should we go ahead and buy our iPhone 15 Pro Max in Japan then? Not just yet! Because not all iPhones are created equal!

The 4 iPhone 15 Pro Max Models

There are 4 models for the iPhone 15 Pro Max - A2849, A3105, A3108, A3106. Different models exist primarily due to local regulations and cellular bands. Japan uses A3105, China and Hong Kong use A3108, USA uses A2849, and Singapore and Thailand use A3106.

iPhone 15 Pro Max A3105 - Japan, Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia

Supports both eSIM and nano-SIM. The Japanese version has a shutter sound to comply with Japanese Law. When the phone detects that it is in Japan or it is in “flight mode” (regardless of your location), there will be a shutter sound when using the Camera App in Photo mode. However, this has changed since iOS 15. You can turn off the shutter sound if the phone detects that you are not in Japan.

Here is a video of someone using iPhone 13 Pro (Jap version) with iOS 15 demonstrating the shutter sound when in France. When “Live Photo” is enabled, the shutter sound is turned off.

The shutter sound may be a deal breaker for some, when a future software update could potentially change things. Should we go for the next cheaper option?

iPhone 15 Pro Max A3108 - China Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau

Supports dual nano-SIM, no eSIM. The China model does not support Facetime or Wi-fi calling, but works with the Hong Kong model.

The lack of eSIM might be a problem if your telco at home uses only eSIM. Moreover, the China Mainland model’s lack of support for Facetime takes away one of the best features of iOS. For these reasons, we probably shouldn’t consider the China Mainland model. Should we go with the next cheaper option then?

iPhone 15 Pro Max A3106 - Global Variant

Supports both eSIM and nano-SIM. A3106 is the global variant, and is probably the “safest” model to get. It is cheaper to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max in Thailand.

A quick word about Apple warranty. Based on the Apple, their 1-year limited warranty is not international.

However, this seems to be a catch-all line to limit their liability. From online comments, users were able to send in their iPhones for warranty claims or repairs even when the iPhone isn’t purchased in the country. Still, there are no guarantees here. With the global variant model, we can be more assured that repairs are possible back home.

iPhone 15 Pro Max A2849 - USA, Puerto Rico

Support dual eSim, no nano-SIM.

The lack of nano-SIM is gonna be problematic if you travel often. Your data options are limited to those offered by your home telco, or eSIM providers like Airalo. Many countries still use nano-SIM for their tourist prepaid sim plans. You will not be able to take advantage of these plans and seek help there if connectivity issues pop up.

For our Singaporean readers, you may want to consider buying your iPhone 15 Pro Max when doing duty-free shopping at Changi Airport, that’s $149 savings compared to retail price!

If you purchased your iPhone from overseas, GST is payable for goods valued above S$600 if you spend more than 48 hrs abroad. Do remember to declare them when you land.

There is one more option we haven’t explored - Online Shopping Apps. We bought our iPhone 15 at $1,199 instead of the retail price of $1,299. There was $100 off when we used a specific credit card for payment.

With 10.10, 11.11, Black Friday/Cyber Monday, 12.12 just around the corner, look out for offers on these apps, stack them with your bank promos, and you might get a good deal for yourself too!

This sums up our insights. We are inclined to get the Japan version because it is so much cheaper. But things may change as FX rates fluctuate, we are keeping a keen eye here. With our Wise account, we can “lock-in” whenever we feel rates are attractive by converting SGD to JPY conveniently using the Wise App. We are not firm on the switch to iPhone just yet, pending upcoming Techtober updates.

Where will you buy your iPhone 15 Pro Max? Or will you consider Android phones? Let us know what you think!