iPhone 17 pre-bookings in India surpass iPhone 16 levels: Report

New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) Pre-bookings for Apple’s iPhone 17 series in India have surpassed those of the iPhone 16 during the launch period, with the new series projected to account for 15–20 per cent of sales, as per industry sources.

The pre-booking numbers for iPhone 17 indicate a potentially strong Diwali quarter for Apple, according to analysts, despite supply constraints of iPhone 17 Pro models.

The data indicated that total iPhone shipments in India are expected to surpass 5 million units in the July–September period in 2025. Apple shipped approximately 4 million iPhones in Q3 2024, with new models accounting for 10 per cent of sales.

Analysts said that demand for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max is particularly high, creating the possibility of supply shortages in the early weeks of launch. Base-model pre-orders for the upgraded 256 GB storage have surged, with 'Cosmic Orange' being the most sought-after colour.

The base variant has been upgraded to 256GB, making it a better value proposition compared to last year’s launch, they said.

iPhone 17 series will be available for purchase in India starting today. Apple’s latest lineup starts at Rs 82,900 for the iPhone 17 (256GB). The new iPhone Air, a slimmer model, begins at Rs 1,19,900, while the iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) is priced at Rs 1,34,900. At the top end, the iPhone 17 Pro Max (256GB) comes in at Rs 1,49,900.

Retailers indicate that base models will be widely available, while Pro and Pro Max allocations are significantly limited, comprising only about 10 per cent of typical deliveries. This scarcity is leading to black-market premiums of 10–20 per cent.

Analysts noted that the iPhone 16 was India’s highest-selling model in H1 2025, driving 96.50 per cent growth in the premium smartphone segment.

Apple has recently opened two new stores in Bengaluru and Pune as part of its retail expansion in India, anticipating it to be the next key market. In Apple's largest overseas market, China, sales grew by only 4.4 per cent in the June quarter following two years of declines.

India is also becoming central to Apple’s manufacturing plans, with one in every five iPhones now being produced in the country.

--IANS

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