Technology giant Apple hosted its Surprise and Shine event on Wednesday, pulling the wraps off the iPhone 18 Pro lineup alongside its very first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. Shortly after introducing these brand-new devices to the global market, the company implemented a substantial price hike for several older iPhone models in India. Visitors to Apple's online store will now find that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, and iPhone Air carry much higher price tags than before.
Broader Cost Pressures Drive Up Prices
This upward revision in device pricing arrives at a time when Apple has already faced multiple cost adjustments across various products in the Indian market. Industry reports indicate that rising global manufacturing costs for essential components such as RAM and internal storage could continue to exert upward pressure on smartphone pricing well into the future. These underlying economic factors have now directly impacted how much Indian consumers must pay for these previously established devices.
Revised Pricing Structure for iPhone 17
Apple has officially revised the starting price for the base iPhone 17 in India to Rs 99,900, which applies to the 256GB storage variant. Meanwhile, the higher-capacity 512GB model is now listed at Rs 1,24,900. When the iPhone 17 originally debuted in the country last year, its initial starting price was set at Rs 82,900. This means the base model alone has become Rs 17,000 more expensive compared to its introductory launch figure.
Significant Jumps Across iPhone Air Variants
The pricing for the sleek iPhone Air has also seen severe upward momentum across all storage configurations. The 256GB model now retails for Rs 1,49,900, while the 512GB variant is priced at Rs 1,74,900, and the top-tier 1TB model commands an eye-watering Rs 2,24,900. For context, these specific configurations were launched last year at Rs 1,19,900, Rs 1,39,900, and Rs 1,59,900 respectively, highlighting a steep escalation in overall ownership costs.
Steepest Increase Stamped on iPhone 17e
Among all the affected devices, the recently introduced iPhone 17e has witnessed the largest absolute price jump across its variants. The 256GB model of the handset now costs Rs 79,900, while the 512GB variant has climbed to Rs 1,04,900. To recall, the iPhone 17e was originally released in India on March 2 with a starting price of Rs 64,900, while its 512GB counterpart was available at that time for Rs 84,900.
Entire Premium Lineup Becomes Costlier
These sudden price realignments took effect immediately after the rollout of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the pioneering foldable iPhone Duo. Notably, the incoming iPhone 18 Pro series itself has been introduced at higher price points than the preceding generation. Consequently, the combination of elevated new device pricing and hiked rates on older models means Apple's entire premium smartphone ecosystem in India is now substantially more expensive for prospective buyers.
