Despite premium pricing, the new iPhone 18 Pro is attracting unprecedented interest in India, with early sales surging nearly 20% compared to last year, signalling the device’s strong appeal among aspirational consumers and the country’s evolving role in Apple’s global growth strategy.
Apple’s newest flagship is drawing unusually strong interest in India, where demand for the iPhone 18 Pro is running well ahead of last year’s launch cycle despite a price tag that remains firmly in premium territory. Reports cited by MacDailyNews and TUAW say early demand is close to 20% higher than for the iPhone 17 Pro at the same stage a year earlier, while preliminary checks from Counterpoint Research suggest launch-day interest was between 15% and 28% higher depending on the city.
The launch on 18 September brought scenes more commonly associated with high-profile entertainment releases than a handset sale. In major cities, including Mumbai, customers queued for hours outside Apple Stores, with some travelling long distances to collect devices. Reuters-style reporting from the summaries indicates that the pull of the latest model, rather than any single feature upgrade, is still a powerful part of Apple’s appeal in India.
The pricing helps explain why the demand is notable. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 for the base 256GB version, while the Pro Max begins at ₹1,74,900, according to the reports. NationPress and other outlets also said the Burgundy finish and higher-storage variants are proving particularly popular, and that some stock sold out quickly after launch, prompting fresh allocations. Apple and its retail partners have tried to ease the upfront cost with zero-interest financing, allowing eligible buyers to spread payments over a year.
The latest sales pattern matters because India is increasingly central to Apple’s wider growth strategy. Counterpoint Research director Tarun Pathak expects Apple’s volume market share in the country to reach 10% in 2026, which would be the company’s first full calendar year in double digits and a sharp rise from 4% in 2022. Apple’s June-quarter sales in India were weaker, but the summaries attribute that to supply constraints rather than waning appetite, and they note that lower-priced smartphone brands have faced a steeper slowdown this year. India is also becoming more important as a manufacturing base for iPhones, a shift that could support Apple’s position further if recent tax incentives continue to improve the economics of local production.
For now, the early data suggests that Apple’s high-end positioning is still resonating with India’s aspirational buyers, even at a price point that would exclude many consumers. The challenge will be sustaining that momentum without relying solely on novelty, especially if premium demand begins to soften once launch excitement fades.
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