oi
-Sudhanshu Singh
Apple’s latest flagship rollout has brought us the highly anticipated iPhone 18 Pro and the ultra-premium foldable iPhone Duo. However, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at a staggering ₹1,64,900 and the Duo reaching up to ₹4,49,900, many buyers are understandably looking for alternatives.
Typically, a new iPhone launch means instant discounts on last year’s models. This year, Apple has completely flipped the script.
Instead of dropping prices, Apple has officially increased the MSRP of its existing iPhone lineup in India. If you were hoping to buy an iPhone 17 or iPhone Air at a discount, you will actually be paying significantly more than their original launch prices. Furthermore, the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max have been entirely discontinued from the official lineup.
New Official Prices for Older iPhones in India
Here is the revised pricing structure for the remaining models still available on the Apple Store:
- iPhone Air: The premium ultra-thin model saw the most drastic jump, surging by ₹30,000. Its new price is ₹1,49,900.
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iPhone 17: The standard flagship received a steep ₹17,000 hike. It now retails for ₹99,900, pushing it painfully close to the ₹1 lakh mark.
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iPhone 16: In a surprising move for a 2024 model, the price jumped by ₹20,000, bringing it to ₹89,900.
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iPhone 17e: The entry-level option is no longer a budget-friendly deal, seeing a ₹15,000 hike to land at ₹79,900.
Why Are Older iPhones More Expensive Now?
This unusual pricing strategy is driven primarily by soaring global manufacturing costs. Smartphone makers across the board are grappling with higher memory and component costs in 2026. The explosive demand for AI data centers has created a severe memory component squeeze—often referred to as “Chipflation”—which drastically inflates the cost to produce consumer electronics.
Combined with India’s import duties on high-value components (like TSMC silicon and advanced displays) and standard GST, Apple has passed these macroeconomic burdens directly onto the consumer.
Before you make a purchase, it is highly recommended to check authorized third-party retailers like Amazon, Croma, or Reliance Digital, as they may still hold stock at pre-hike prices.
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