Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro Max may start at Rs 1.55-1.60 lakh in India

Unconfirmed estimates suggest Apple’s next iPhone 18 Pro Max could cost Rs 5,000-Rs 20,000 more than the current model, while higher-storage variants may cross Rs 2 lakh. Apple has not announced launch timing or India pricing.

— Source publishedTue, 8 Sept, 2026, 16:13 IST·First seen Tue, 8 Sept, 2026, 16:53 IST·Source NDTV Profit

What happened

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro Max could launch in India from Rs 1.55 lakh-Rs 1.60 lakh, with high-storage versions potentially exceeding Rs 2 lakh. Reports cite higher

Key facts

  • iPhone 18 Pro Max estimated India starting price: Rs 1.55 lakh-Rs 1.60 lakh
  • Higher-storage iPhone 18 Pro Max may exceed Rs 2 lakh
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB India price: Rs 1,49,900
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max 512GB/1TB/2TB prices: Rs 1,69,900/Rs 1,89,900/Rs 2,29,900
  • Estimated India price increase: Rs 5,000-Rs 20,000
  • Estimated Pro-range increase: $250-$300

Why this matters

A Rs 1.55-1.60 lakh entry price would further widen Apple’s flagship price moat in India, creating opportunities for premium financing, trade-in, and ecosystem partnerships.

What to watch

  • Official iPhone 18 launch pricing, storage configurations and India availability timing.
  • USD/INR movement and any change in Indian import duties, production-linked incentives or local-assembly share.
  • NAND memory, display and advanced-chip cost trends ahead of the launch window.
  • Apple India trade-in values, bank-partner EMI terms and launch-period channel promotions.
  • Whether the current Pro Max generation sustains sell-through at its prevailing India price and whether high-storage models gain mix.
  • Increase trade-in, bank-cashback and no-cost EMI offers to protect monthly-payment affordability without discounting the headline price.
  • Strengthen premiumization around Pro Max cameras, AI features, storage and ecosystem bundles to justify a higher entry point.
  • Shift more India demand toward prior-generation Pro models and standard iPhones, creating a clearer good-better-best portfolio ladder.
  • Android flagships from Samsung, Google and Chinese premium brands are likely to intensify sub-Rs 1.25 lakh positioning and exchange offers.
  • Retailers may face slower upfront conversion on Pro Max units but higher attachment rates for AppleCare, accessories, financing and high-storage variants.