Apple Now Selling Brazilian-Made iPhone 4, But Pricing Remains High
Foxconn's efforts to bring iPhone and iPad production to Brazil have seen significant attention in recent months, with the move being part of a strategy to diversify manufacturing locations and make the devices more affordable in the world's fifth most populous country by eliminating high import taxes. While much of the focus has been on getting iPad production up and running in Brazil, the company has already been working on iPhone production there, with an 8 GB iPhone 4 having leaked in late November.
The iPhone 4S and 8 GB iPhone 4 debuted in Brazil in mid-December, but early models were manufactured in China and carried very high pricing with the iPhone 4S starting at the equivalent of over $1400. With exchange rate fluctuations that figure is now over $1500, while the cheaper 8 GB iPhone 4 still comes in at a hefty $1050. The unlocked iPhone 4 is priced at $549 in the United States.
As noted by Meio Bit [Google translation], Apple has indeed begun selling the Brazilian-made 8 GB iPhone 4 through its online store in that country, as evidenced by manufacturing information on the box and the phone itself.
Apple's online store is also now referring to the black and white models as MD128BR/A and MD198BR/A respectively, with the MD198BR number having been seen on the previously-leaked iPhone 4 from Brazil. The Chinese-made 8 GB iPhone 4 had originally launched in Brazil with MD128BZ/A and MD198BZ/A model numbers. It is not clear exactly when Apple made the transition to selling Brazilian-manufactured iPhone 4 units, but it appears to have been at least several weeks ago.
But while Apple has now transitioned to selling domestically-manufactured iPhone 4 units in Brazil, pricing has yet to come down. It is unclear whether Apple and Foxconn have yet to meet all requirements or receive certification from the Brazilian government that would make the devices exempt from the hefty import taxes or if there are other factors in play.
Notably, the iPhone 4S does not yet appear to be being manufactured in Brazil, with those devices continuing to carry "BZ" model numbers identifying them as manufactured in China for the Brazilian market. The same appears to be true of the iPhone 3GS, which is priced at the equivalent of $700. Consequently, any adjustment in pricing for the Brazilian-made iPhone 4 would create inconsistencies across the company's iPhone line there due to the significant difference in import taxes, but it is unclear how Apple and Foxconn are planning to deal with this issue.
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last.
Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski
The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports.
The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu.
This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...
