Apple Raises iPhone Prices in India After iPhone 18 Pro Launch: iPhone 17 Now Starts at ₹99,900
Apple has increased the prices of several iPhone models in India following the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The iPhone 17 now starts at ₹99,900, while the iPhone Air has received an increase of up to ₹65,000 for its 1TB variant.
Apple has delivered an unexpected shock to Indian iPhone buyers. Instead of reducing the prices of older models after launching its new-generation iPhones, the company has increased the prices of several existing models in India.
Following the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple has revised the pricing of the iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, iPhone Air and iPhone 16. The newly launched iPhone 18 Pro models have also arrived at significantly higher prices than their iPhone 17 Pro predecessors.
The price revision means consumers hoping to buy an older iPhone at a discount during the festive season may now have to spend considerably more.
iPhone 17 Price in India Increased by ₹17,000
The biggest surprise is the new price of the standard iPhone 17.
The 256GB iPhone 17, which was previously priced at ₹82,900, now costs ₹99,900. That’s an increase of ₹17,000, or around 20.5%.
The 512GB version has also become significantly more expensive. Its price has increased from ₹1,02,900 to ₹1,24,900, representing a ₹22,000 jump.
iPhone 17 Revised Prices in India
| Variant | Earlier Price | New Price | Increase |
| iPhone 17 256GB | ₹82,900 | ₹99,900 | ₹17,000 |
| iPhone 17 512GB | ₹1,02,900 | ₹1,24,900 | ₹22,000 |
This makes the iPhone 17 considerably less affordable than it was before the iPhone 18 Pro launch.
iPhone 17e Also Gets a Major Price Hike
Apple has also increased the price of the iPhone 17e, which was positioned as a more affordable model within the iPhone lineup.
The 256GB model has gone from ₹64,900 to ₹79,900, a ₹15,000 increase.
Meanwhile, the 512GB version has moved from ₹84,900 to ₹1,04,900, making it ₹20,000 more expensive.
| Variant | Earlier Price | New Price | Increase |
| iPhone 17e 256GB | ₹64,900 | ₹79,900 | ₹15,000 |
| iPhone 17e 512GB | ₹84,900 | ₹1,04,900 | ₹20,000 |
The increase is particularly notable because the 17e was expected to remain one of Apple’s relatively accessible options.
iPhone Air Gets the Biggest Percentage Increase
The iPhone Air has seen an even sharper increase.
The 256GB model now costs ₹1,49,900, compared with ₹1,19,900 earlier. That is a ₹30,000 increase, or 25%.
The 512GB version has increased from ₹1,39,900 to ₹1,74,900, a ₹35,000 jump.
The biggest increase comes with the 1TB model. Its price has risen from ₹1,59,900 to ₹2,24,900 — an increase of ₹65,000, or around 40.6%.
| iPhone Air Variant | Earlier Price | New Price | Increase |
| 256GB | ₹1,19,900 | ₹1,49,900 | ₹30,000 |
| 512GB | ₹1,39,900 | ₹1,74,900 | ₹35,000 |
| 1TB | ₹1,59,900 | ₹2,24,900 | ₹65,000 |
This makes the 1TB iPhone Air the model with the largest percentage increase among the highlighted existing iPhones.
iPhone 16 Price Also Goes Up
Apple has not limited the increase to the iPhone 17 family.
The 128GB iPhone 16 has increased from ₹69,900 to ₹89,900, which means buyers now pay ₹20,000 more for the older-generation device. That’s an increase of about 28.6%.
The move means that even consumers looking for an older iPhone at a lower entry price face higher costs.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Are Also Much More Expensive
Alongside the price revisions for older models, Apple has launched its new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at considerably higher prices in India.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 for 256GB, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900.
For comparison, the previous iPhone 17 Pro started at ₹1,34,900 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max at ₹1,49,900.
According to Moneycontrol, this represents a 22% increase for the iPhone 18 Pro and a 20% increase for the Pro Max in India.
iPhone 18 Pro Price in India
| Storage | Price |
| 256GB | ₹1,64,900 |
| 512GB | ₹1,89,900 |
| 1TB | ₹2,39,900 |
| 2TB | ₹3,14,900 |
iPhone 18 Pro Max Price in India
| Storage | Price |
| 256GB | ₹1,79,900 |
| 512GB | ₹2,04,900 |
| 1TB | ₹2,54,900 |
| 2TB | ₹3,29,900 |
The new Pro models are available in four colours and feature Apple’s latest A20 Pro chipset, alongside camera, battery and display upgrades. Pre-orders in India begin September 12, with sales starting September 18.
iPhone Duo Starts at ₹2,99,900
Apple has also entered the foldable smartphone market with its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo.
In India, the foldable starts at ₹2,99,900 for 256GB and goes up to ₹4,49,900 for the 2TB model.
iPhone Duo India Prices
| Storage | Price |
| 256GB | ₹2,99,900 |
| 512GB | ₹3,24,900 |
| 1TB | ₹3,74,900 |
| 2TB | ₹4,49,900 |
The launch gives Apple a new premium category while simultaneously pushing prices higher across parts of its existing lineup.
Why Has Apple Increased iPhone Prices in India?
Apple has not provided a detailed public explanation for every India-specific price revision. However, industry analysts have pointed to several possible factors.
According to Counterpoint Research, higher memory-component costs, a weaker Indian rupee and increased domestic production costs could be contributing to the unusually steep increases in India.
Moneycontrol reported that the India price increases are substantially higher than the increases seen in several other major markets. For example, the US starting price of the iPhone 18 Pro has increased by around 9%, while the India increase compared with the previous Pro model is around 22%.
The difference means Indian consumers are facing a considerably larger price adjustment.
Why Did Apple Increase Old iPhone Prices After a New Launch?
Normally, the launch of a new iPhone generation is followed by price reductions for at least some older models.
This time, Apple has taken a different approach in India.
The iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, iPhone Air and iPhone 16 have all become more expensive. At the same time, the iPhone 18 Pro models occupy an even higher price position.
This creates a more expensive overall iPhone portfolio, potentially pushing buyers towards older generations only if they can find discounts through retailers or existing stock.
What Does This Mean for Indian Buyers?
For consumers planning to buy an iPhone, the new pricing changes the calculation considerably.
Someone who was waiting for the iPhone 18 Pro launch hoping to buy an iPhone 17 at a lower price may now be disappointed. The standard iPhone 17 has actually become ₹17,000 more expensive at the 256GB level.
Buyers considering the iPhone Air face an even bigger jump, especially if they want higher storage.
At the premium end, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max now require a much larger upfront investment.
Analysts also expect the price increases to influence purchasing behaviour during India’s upcoming festive shopping season.
Will iPhone Prices Fall During Festive Sales?
The official Apple prices have increased, but this does not necessarily mean every retailer will sell the devices at exactly the same effective price.
Banks, exchange offers, retailer discounts and promotional deals can reduce the amount a customer actually pays.
Therefore, consumers looking to buy an iPhone during the festive season may want to compare the effective price after bank offers and exchange bonuses, rather than relying only on Apple’s official MRP.
Apple’s iPhone Strategy Is Becoming More Premium
The latest price revision highlights a broader shift in Apple’s smartphone strategy.
The company is expanding at the premium end with the iPhone 18 Pro series and its first foldable iPhone, while existing models have also become more expensive in India.
For Apple, the strategy could help maintain premium positioning and offset higher component and production costs.
For Indian consumers, however, the result is straightforward: buying an iPhone now requires a bigger budget than it did before the iPhone 18 Pro launch.
The iPhone 17 now starts at ₹99,900, the iPhone Air reaches ₹2,24,900 for 1TB, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 and Apple’s first foldable iPhone Duo begins at ₹2,99,900.
With prices rising across multiple generations, shoppers may increasingly look toward festive discounts, older stock and exchange offers to make an iPhone purchase more affordable.