Apple has done something unusual in India after launching the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup. Instead of reducing the prices of older iPhones, the company has increased prices across several existing models.
iPhone Prices Increased in India
The biggest shock is the iPhone 17. Its 256GB version was earlier available at ₹82,900. It now starts at ₹99,900, making it ₹17,000 more expensive. The 512GB version has also gone up by ₹22,000 to ₹1,24,900.
The price revision affects the iPhone 16, iPhone 17e and iPhone Air as well. For buyers waiting for the usual post-launch price drop, this is the opposite of what they expected.
New iPhone Prices in India After iPhone 18 Pro Launch
Here is the important price change at a glance.
| iPhone Model | Earlier Price | New Price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 128GB | ₹69,900 | ₹89,900 | ₹20,000 |
| iPhone 17 256GB | ₹82,900 | ₹99,900 | ₹17,000 |
| iPhone 17 512GB | ₹1,02,900 | ₹1,24,900 | ₹22,000 |
| iPhone 17e 256GB | ₹64,900 | ₹79,900 | ₹15,000 |
| iPhone 17e 512GB | ₹89,900 | ₹1,04,900 | ₹15,000 |
| iPhone Air 256GB | ₹1,19,900 | ₹1,49,900 | ₹30,000 |
| iPhone Air 1TB | ₹1,59,900 | ₹2,24,900 | ₹65,000 |
| iPhone 18 Pro | — | ₹1,64,900 | New model |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | — | ₹1,79,900 | New model |
The reported revised prices show just how unusual this year’s change is. The 1TB iPhone Air has seen the largest absolute increase at ₹65,000, while Reuters reports that the model’s price rose by around 41%.
iPhone 17 Is Now ₹17,000 More Expensive
The iPhone 17 is probably the most talked-about price increase.
Before the latest Apple event, the 256GB iPhone 17 started at ₹82,900 in India. After the new lineup appeared, the same storage version moved to ₹99,900.
That means the phone is now ₹17,000 more expensive without a corresponding hardware upgrade.
The 512GB model has moved from ₹1,02,900 to ₹1,24,900, a ₹22,000 increase.
This changes the buying decision quite a bit.
Someone who had planned to purchase an iPhone 17 after the iPhone 18 Pro launch may now find the price difference between the older phone and the new Pro model much smaller than expected.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 in India, while the iPhone 17 now starts at ₹99,900.
iPhone 16 Also Becomes More Expensive
The iPhone 16 has not escaped the price revision.
Its reported starting price has increased from ₹69,900 to ₹89,900, which means buyers now pay ₹20,000 more for the same model.
This is particularly important for people who normally wait for an older-generation iPhone to become cheaper after a new model launches.
That strategy does not work the same way this time.
The iPhone 16 can still make sense for someone who finds a good retailer discount, bank offer or exchange deal, but Apple’s revised official pricing makes the phone considerably less attractive than it was before the hike.
iPhone 17e Now Starts at ₹79,900
The iPhone 17e was positioned as a more affordable way to enter the current iPhone generation.
Its 256GB version was previously priced at ₹64,900. The revised price is ₹79,900, an increase of ₹15,000.
The 512GB version has moved to ₹1,04,900.
Interestingly, the new 256GB iPhone 17e price is almost the same as what buyers were paying for the 256GB iPhone 17 before the latest price revision.
For buyers with a fixed budget, this makes other options such as discounted previous-generation iPhones or Android flagships worth considering before spending the full amount.
iPhone Air Gets One of the Biggest Price Hikes
The iPhone Air has received an even bigger increase.
The 256GB version is now reported at ₹1,49,900, while the 1TB model has reached ₹2,24,900.
The 1TB version is the most extreme example of the new pricing.
A ₹65,000 increase is not a small adjustment. It can itself be the price of a decent smartphone, laptop or several useful mobile accessories.
Reuters reported that the 1TB iPhone Air’s Indian price rose by about 41%, making India’s adjustment one of the steepest Apple price increases in markets where prices were revised in 2026.
What About the New iPhone 18 Pro?
Apple’s new premium models are also expensive, but they are not simply replacing the older phones at lower prices.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900 in India. The new Pro models bring the latest generation of Apple’s hardware and software upgrades.
Apple has also introduced its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, which pushes the company’s premium pricing even higher. Reports put its starting Indian price at ₹2,99,900.
So the 2026 iPhone lineup is becoming considerably more expensive at the top end.
Why Did Apple Increase iPhone Prices?
Apple has not simply given Indian buyers one easy-to-understand reason for every individual model’s increase.
However, the wider industry situation gives some context.
Memory and storage component prices have been under pressure because of strong demand from AI-related data-centre infrastructure. Reuters reported that Apple had cited rising memory and storage chip costs as part of the broader reason for global pricing adjustments.
India also has its own cost structure.
Even though India has become an important iPhone manufacturing and assembly location, the final retail price is affected by taxes, duties on components and other costs. Reuters specifically notes the role of import duties and India’s 18% GST in keeping local iPhone prices higher than comparable US pricing.
That explains why manufacturing iPhones in India does not automatically mean every iPhone becomes cheaper for Indian customers.
Why Didn’t Older iPhones Become Cheaper?
Normally, when a new flagship generation arrives, older models can become cheaper or retailers may offer aggressive discounts.
Apple has taken a different approach this time.
The company has revised the official pricing of several existing models upward rather than using the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro to create a cheaper official entry point.
There is also a difference between Apple’s official price and the actual street price.
Retailers, e-commerce platforms, banks and distributors can still run their own promotions. So an iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 may sometimes be available below Apple’s official price.
For buyers, this means comparing the final checkout price is more important than simply looking at Apple’s listed price.
Should You Buy an iPhone Now or Wait?
That depends on what you need.
Buy now if you find a genuine discount
If a retailer has existing stock of an iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 at a substantial discount, it may be worth considering.
The important point is to compare the seller’s final price with the revised Apple price rather than assuming that every older iPhone is now expensive everywhere.
Consider the iPhone 18 Pro if your budget is already high
If you were already planning to spend around ₹1.5 lakh or more, the iPhone 18 Pro becomes a more relevant option.
You are paying for the newer generation rather than buying an older model at an unexpectedly high official price.
Don’t automatically choose more storage
The 1TB iPhone Air is a good example of why storage needs should be considered carefully.
A ₹65,000 price increase makes the high-storage model extremely expensive. Most users do not need 1TB unless they regularly store large amounts of 4K video, photos, offline media or professional files on the phone.
For many buyers, 256GB or 512GB can be a much more sensible balance.
What This Means for iPhone Buyers in India
The biggest lesson from the 2026 price revision is simple: don’t assume an older iPhone will automatically become cheaper when a new iPhone launches.
This year’s situation is different.
The iPhone 17 has become ₹17,000 more expensive at the entry level, the iPhone 16 has gone up by ₹20,000, the iPhone 17e has increased by ₹15,000 and the iPhone Air has seen increases of up to ₹65,000 depending on storage.
For Indian buyers, the best strategy is now to compare:
- Apple’s official price
- Online retailer pricing
- Bank discounts
- Exchange value
- No-cost EMI offers
- Available storage
- Warranty and seller authenticity
A discount of ₹10,000–₹20,000 from a reliable seller can make a much bigger difference than simply waiting for an older model to become cheaper officially.
iPhone Prices Are Also Becoming a Global Story
This is not only an India-specific pricing story.
Reuters reports that Apple also increased prices in the US, although India’s increases were significantly sharper for some models. The Indian iPhone 17 256GB price rose nearly 21%, while the 1TB iPhone Air increased around 41%.
That makes the 2026 iPhone price revision relevant to international buyers as well.
However, the actual difference between countries depends on local taxes, duties, currency conversion, distribution costs and Apple’s regional pricing strategy.
For international shoppers, comparing the final local retail price rather than directly converting Apple’s US price into another currency gives a more realistic picture.
Final Take
The iPhone 18 Pro launch has changed more than Apple’s flagship lineup in India. It has also changed the pricing of several older iPhones.
The iPhone 17 now starts at ₹99,900 instead of ₹82,900. The iPhone 16 has moved to ₹89,900, while the iPhone 17e starts at ₹79,900. The iPhone Air has become particularly expensive, with its 1TB version reaching ₹2,24,900.
At the premium end, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at ₹1,79,900.
For buyers, this means one thing: check the actual deal before assuming which iPhone is cheaper.
The old rule of “new iPhone launches, older iPhone gets cheaper” cannot be taken for granted in 2026.
If you’re buying an iPhone during the upcoming festive season, compare the revised official price with retailer discounts, exchange offers and bank deals before making the final decision.
“prices as of September 10, 2026”