Apple's iPhones go Pro, their prices go Pro Max; but why most buyers may still pay

For years, Apple made the iPhone more accessible in India without making it cheap. Older models stayed on sale, bank offers softened the sticker price, exchange programmes rewarded upgrades and no-cost EMIs converted a large purchase into manageable monthly payments. That carefully constructed ladder is now becoming steeper.Apple’s latest pricing pushes the iPhone further beyond the reach of many Indian buyers. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900, while the Pro Max begins at Rs 1,79,900. The new foldable iPhone Duo occupies another universe altogether: Rs 2,99,900 for the base variant, rising to Rs 4,49,900 with 2TB storage.But the affordability problem is not confined to Apple’s most experimental phone. The iPhone 17 now starts at Rs 99,900, the 17e at Rs 79,900 and the iPhone Air at Rs 1,49,900.