Every remaining iPhone gets costlier: iPhone 17 now starts at ₹99,900, iPhone 17e at ₹79,900 as memory costs surge

New Delhi: Apple has raised the prices of every iPhone that remains on sale, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17e, iPhone Air and older iPhone 16. The company introduced the price increases immediately after its “Surprise and Shine” event, where it launched the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone Duo.

Indian buyers will feel the increase more sharply than US customers. While Apple has raised US prices by a flat $100 for the affected models, Indian prices have jumped by as much as ₹65,000.

New iPhone prices in India and the US

The New prices of older iPhones in India and the US

• iPhone 17e (256 GB): India price rises from ₹64,900 to ₹79,900, an increase of ₹15,000. US price: $699.
• iPhone 16 (128 GB): India price rises from ₹69,900 to ₹89,900, an increase of ₹20,000. US price: $799.
• iPhone 17 (256 GB): India price rises from ₹82,900 to ₹99,900, an increase of ₹17,000. US price: $899.
• iPhone 17 (512 GB): India price rises from around ₹1,02,900–₹1,04,500 to ₹1,24,900, an increase of around ₹20,000–₹22,000. US price: $1,099.
• iPhone Air (256 GB): India price rises from ₹1,19,900 to ₹1,49,900, an increase of ₹30,000. US price: $1,099.
• iPhone Air (512 GB): India price rises from ₹1,39,900 to ₹1,74,900, an increase of ₹35,000. US price: $1,299.
• iPhone Air (1 TB): India price rises from ₹1,59,900 to ₹2,24,900, an increase of ₹65,000. US price: $1,699.

New iPhones launched on September 9

• iPhone 18 Pro (256 GB): Starts at ₹1,64,900 in India and $1,199 in the US.
• iPhone 18 Pro Max (256 GB): Starts at ₹1,79,900 in India and $1,299 in the US.
• iPhone Duo (256 GB): Starts at ₹2,99,900 in India and $1,999 in the US.
• iPhone 18 Pro (2 TB): The top-end version costs ₹3,14,900.
• iPhone 18 Pro Max (2 TB): The top-end version costs ₹3,29,900.
• iPhone Duo (2 TB): The top-end version costs ₹4,49,900.

Apple has discontinued the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Why did Apple raise prices on older iPhones?

Apple has broken from its usual pricing strategy. The company has traditionally kept older iPhones at the same price or reduced their prices when it launches a new generation. This time, Apple has increased prices on hardware that has not changed.

Rising memory and storage chip costs have driven the increase. The same pressure pushed Apple to raise prices on Macs, iPads, the Vision Pro, HomePods and Apple TV in June 2026.

Strong demand from artificial-intelligence data centres has created a major shortage of memory chips. The industry calls the situation a memory crunch or “RAMageddon.” Chipmakers have prioritised higher-margin AI and server customers, which has left consumer-electronics companies facing higher prices and tighter supplies.

Former CEO Tim Cook warned in June that Apple could no longer absorb the higher costs and called price increases “unavoidable.” Apple did not raise iPhone prices during the June round, but the company has now ended that exemption.

Apple also faces a wider industry trend. Samsung and Google have raised prices on their 2026 flagship smartphones as higher memory costs, advanced components and new foldable designs push smartphone prices higher.

What happened to Apple prices in June 2026?

Apple increased prices across almost all of its non-iPhone products in June:

• MacBook Neo: $599 → $699
• MacBook Air and Pro models: +$200 to $300 or more
• iPad Air: $599 → $749
• iPad Pro: +$200
• Vision Pro: $3,499 → $3,699
• HomePod and Apple TV also became more expensive

Only the iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods avoided those increases at the time. Apple has now raised iPhone prices as well.

What does the price hike mean for Indian buyers?

Indian customers face much larger percentage increases than the $100 increase in the US.

The iPhone 17 now starts at ₹99,900, just ₹100 below the ₹1 lakh mark. The 1 TB iPhone Air has seen the biggest jump, with its price rising by ₹65,000, or more than 40%. Even the two-year-old iPhone 16 now costs ₹20,000 more than it did just days ago.

Apple, banks and carriers offer monthly EMI plans that can reduce the immediate financial burden, but buyers will still pay more overall. Trade-in offers, the Apple Upgrade programme, carrier deals and authorised refurbished phones remain the main options for lowering the final cost.

Some retailers may also sell their remaining old inventory at earlier prices for a limited time as they clear existing stock.

What happens next?

The memory supply situation remains tight. AI infrastructure companies continue to spend heavily, which could keep component costs high. Prices may not fall quickly as long as chipmakers continue to prioritise AI and server demand.

Apple plans to release its next base iPhone and Air models in spring 2027 as part of its new split-release strategy. Their final prices will depend on how memory and other component costs move before launch.

For Indian buyers, the current starting prices are:

• iPhone 17: ₹99,900, up ₹17,000
• iPhone 17e: ₹79,900
• iPhone Air: ₹1,49,900
• iPhone 18 Pro: ₹1,64,900
• iPhone Duo: ₹2,99,900

Apple has effectively paused the era of stable or falling year-on-year iPhone starting prices. Buyers planning to purchase an iPhone in the coming weeks will face higher list prices. Financing plans, trade-ins, retailer discounts and remaining third-party inventory can help reduce the cost.

Bottom line

Apple has raised prices across its current iPhone range as higher memory and storage costs continue to affect the company. The same cost pressure has already pushed up prices for Apple’s computers and tablets.

Indian buyers face a particularly sharp impact, with some models becoming tens of thousands of rupees more expensive. The bigger question now is not whether smartphone prices will rise, but how long higher component costs will keep pushing them up.

Read More: Apple Skips iPhone 18, Unveils First Foldable Duo, iPhone 18 Pro Models, New Watches and AirPods