Archive · 11 Sep 2026
Apple Raises Older iPhone Prices Across India After Launch
Apple usually makes older iPhones cheaper when it releases new ones.
This time, it made several older iPhones more expensive in India.
The iPhone 17 256GB now costs ₹99,900 instead of ₹82,900.
The iPhone 17e now costs ₹79,900 instead of ₹64,900.
The 1TB iPhone Air now costs ₹224,900.
Reports differ about the largest increase, describing it as either 41% or as high as 25% for some models.
Apple also raised prices in the United States, but those increases were reported at 10% to 21%.
The articles link the higher prices to more expensive memory and storage chips, partly because of demand from AI data centres.
Analysts expect cheaper models to be more affected than premium iPhones.
Apple raised prices for several existing iPhone models in India after launching the iPhone 18 Pro series and iPhone Duo.
Reported Indian price increases range from nearly 21% to 41%, although another report describes some model increases as high as 25%.
The iPhone 17 256GB rose from ₹82,900 to ₹99,900, while the iPhone 17e increased from ₹64,900 to ₹79,900.
The 1TB iPhone Air now costs ₹224,900, and its 256GB version rose by ₹30,000 to ₹149,900.
Analysts say higher prices may hurt sales of lower-priced models, while premium iPhone demand may be less affected.
- Who
- Apple, Indian iPhone buyers, and analysts including Upasana Joshi and Faisal Kawoosa.
- What
- Apple raised prices for several existing iPhone models in India instead of reducing older-model prices after a new launch.
- When
- Within hours of the iPhone 18 Pro series and iPhone Duo launch.
- Where
- India, with price comparisons to the United States.
- Why
- The articles attribute the increases to rising memory and storage chip costs and limited component supplies linked to AI data-centre demand.
Growth and Affordability Concerns
Cost Pressure and Premium Demand
Impact on lower-priced models
Growth and Affordability Concerns
Higher prices remove Apple’s usual strategy of making older iPhones more accessible, potentially making its lower-priced models harder to sell in India.
Cost Pressure and Premium Demand
The increases can provide Apple with a cushion against volatility in memory and chip costs.
Expected sales impact
Growth and Affordability Concerns
Upasana Joshi of the International Data Corporation said projected volume declines could worsen after the price increases.
Cost Pressure and Premium Demand
Faisal Kawoosa of Techarc said Apple’s past price increases have had limited effects on sales, particularly for upper-end models.
India’s pricing position
Growth and Affordability Concerns
Indian commentators said the increases push iPhones further into luxury territory, with Indian prices remaining well above US levels.
Cost Pressure and Premium Demand
Apple also raised US prices by 10% to 21%, suggesting that broader component-cost pressures—not only India-specific factors—are affecting pricing.
- iPhone 17 256GB
- Price increased from ₹82,900 to ₹99,900, nearly 21%.
- iPhone 17e
- Price increased from ₹64,900 to ₹79,900.
- iPhone 16 128GB
- Price increased from ₹79,900 to ₹89,900.
- iPhone Air 1TB
- Price rose 41% to ₹224,900, according to the reports.
- iPhone Air 256GB
- Price increased by ₹30,000 to ₹149,900.
- United States increases
- Apple raised US prices by between 10% and 21%, according to the articles.
- New premium models
- The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹164,900, while iPhone Duo prices range from ₹299,900 to ₹449,900.
