Apple raises iPhone prices in India by up to 41%

Key facts

• Apple increased iPhone prices in India by up to 41% after unveiling new models.
• The iPhone Air saw the sharpest jump, increasing 41% to 224,900 Indian rupees ($2,359) for its one terabyte variant.
• The iPhone 17's lower storage variant rose nearly 21% to 99,900 Indian rupees ($1,048).
• In comparison, U.S. variants rose 13% to $899 for the base iPhone 17 and 21% to $1,699 for the iPhone Air 1 TB.
• Apple cited increasing memory and storage chip costs driven by AI demand as reasons for the global price increases.

Apple increased prices on its existing iPhone lineup in India by as much as 41% shortly after unveiling new devices, a move that deviates from its typical practice of discounting older models. The price hikes in India were steeper than those seen in the U.S. market.

While Apple also raised prices in the U.S. late Wednesday, those increases ranged from 10% to 21%. The hikes followed Apple's September event, dubbed 'Surprise and Shine,' where new Chief Executive John Ternus unveiled Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo.

Apple had previously announced plans to raise iPhone prices globally, citing increasing memory and storage chip costs. A surge in AI-driven demand for data centers has forced consumer electronics companies into a fierce competition for dwindling supplies of the key components, driving up costs.

India is one of Apple's fastest-growing markets and now also assembles a large share of the iPhones it sells globally. However, import duties for components and an 18% goods and services tax still push iPhone prices in India well above U.S. levels.

The India price for the lower storage variant of the iPhone 17 rose nearly 21% to 99,900 Indian rupees ($1,048), while the iPhone Air recorded the sharpest jump in the lineup at a 41% increase to 224,900 Indian rupees ($2,359) for its one terabyte variant. In comparison, the equivalent U.S. variants rose nearly 13% to $899 for the base iPhone 17, and 21% to $1,699 for the iPhone Air 1 TB.

The increases drew swift reaction on social media in India, with some commentators arguing the pricing pushes the iPhone further into luxury territory for Indian buyers. Many also pointed to the India pricing of the foldable iPhone, which is $1,100 costlier than in the U.S.