iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 16 Prices in India Rise After iPhone 18 Pro Models Launch

Apple has raised the prices of several existing iPhone models in India, breaking from its usual pattern of making older iPhones cheaper once a new generation launches. The increases affect the iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, iPhone Air, and iPhone 16, and follow the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple's first foldable device, the iPhone Duo.

iPhone 17 price in India rise by up to Rs. 22,000

The iPhone 17's 256GB variant is now priced at Rs. 99,900, up from Rs. 82,900 - a jump of Rs. 17,000. The 512GB model has risen from Rs. 1,02,900 to Rs. 1,24,900, an increase of Rs. 22,000.

iPhone Air sees the steepest hike

Among the affected models, the iPhone Air has recorded the largest increase. Its 256GB version now costs Rs. 1,49,900, up from Rs. 1,19,900, while the 512GB variant has gone from Rs. 1,39,900 to Rs. 1,74,900. The 1TB model has seen the sharpest rise, climbing from Rs. 1,59,900 to Rs. 2,24,900 - an increase of Rs. 65,000.

iPhone 17e and iPhone 16 also cost more

The iPhone 17e's 256GB variant is now priced at Rs. 79,900, compared with Rs. 64,900 earlier, while its 512GB version has increased from Rs. 84,900 to Rs. 1,04,900. The iPhone 16's 128GB model has also gone up, now priced at Rs. 89,900 against its earlier price of Rs. 69,900.

Price changes follow iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo launch

The revisions came shortly after Apple introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, along with the iPhone Duo, at its September 9 "Surprise and Shine" event, according to the report. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs. 1,64,900 in India, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs. 1,79,900. As a result, buyers looking to pick up an older iPhone at a reduced price following the new launch will instead find several existing models costing considerably more.

Rising memory chip costs is likely the reason

The report attributed the price increases to rising costs of memory chips and other key smartphone components, a pressure being felt across the technology industry as demand for advanced chips grows. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal in June, Apple's then-chief executive Tim Cook said price increases had become unavoidable, adding that the company had tried to shield customers from rising costs but that the situation had become unsustainable.

Cook also said in the interview that tighter memory supply, combined with strong consumer demand, had led component makers to pass on significant price increases, and that pricing and supply for consumer products needed to return to more reasonable levels.