Apple’s latest flagship is finding an enthusiastic audience in India, even as prices remain high. Demand for the iPhone 18 Pro has risen by nearly 20% compared with the iPhone 17 Pro at the same point last year, according to reports, suggesting that premium pricing is not deterring buyers in one of Apple’s fastest-growing markets.
The iPhone 18 lineup went on sale on September 18 and drew long lines in major cities. Some customers traveled for hours to reach Apple Stores in places such as Mumbai, with waits stretching as long as 10 hours. Many buyers appear motivated less by specific new features and more by the desire to own Apple’s newest iPhone.
Counterpoint Research director Tarun Pathak expects Apple’s volume market share in India to reach 10% in 2026 — the company’s first full calendar year in double digits. That would represent a sharp rise from just 4% in 2022.
The base iPhone 18 Pro costs the equivalent of about $1,700 in India. Apple and partners have softened the sticker shock with zero-interest financing that lets eligible customers spread payments over a year, keeping monthly installments below 10% of the phone’s price. For some consumers, the high price itself reinforces the device’s premium status.
Apple recorded weaker Indian sales in the June quarter, but that dip was attributed to supply constraints rather than fading demand. Sales had otherwise grown for four years. Meanwhile, makers of lower-priced smartphones reportedly saw a sharper decline this year.
India is also becoming a more important manufacturing base for iPhones, and recent tax breaks could further strengthen Apple’s position. The current surge in iPhone 18 Pro demand suggests Apple’s high-end strategy is connecting with aspirational buyers, though the company will need to keep balancing premium pricing with accessible payment options if the momentum is to last.
For now, the early numbers point to another strong cycle for Apple in India.
MacDailyNews Take: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are strong!
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.