iPhone 18 Pro demand in India up nearly 20% as Apple targets double-digit share

Demand for Apple's iPhone 18 Pro in India has risen by nearly 20% compared with the iPhone 17 Pro at the same point last year, according to MacDailyNews, citing reports on early sales. The figure suggests that premium pricing is not holding back buyers in one of Apple's fastest-growing markets.

The iPhone 18 lineup went on sale on September 18 and drew long queues in major cities. Some customers travelled for hours to reach Apple Stores in cities including Mumbai, with waits stretching as long as 10 hours. Many buyers appeared motivated less by specific new features than by the desire to own Apple's newest iPhone.

• iPhone 18 Pro demand in India: up nearly 20% versus the iPhone 17 Pro at the same point last year
• Launch date: September 18, with waits of up to 10 hours at stores in cities including Mumbai
• Base iPhone 18 Pro price in India: equivalent of about $1,700
• Projected Apple volume share in India: 10% in 2026, against 4% in 2022
• China: 12% year-over-year sales growth for the iPhone 18 Pro series in its first week

Pricing cushioned by zero-interest instalments

The base iPhone 18 Pro costs the equivalent of about $1,700 in India, far above the country's mass-market smartphone segment. Apple and its retail and finance partners have softened the impact with zero-interest financing that lets eligible customers spread payments over a year, keeping monthly instalments below 10% of the handset's price. MacDailyNews reported that for some consumers the high price itself reinforces the device's premium status.

The financing structure matters for product mix. Pro-tier models carry Apple's highest average selling prices, and converting that total into a monthly outlay moves the decision from an outright purchase to a budgeting question. That mechanism is central to Apple's ability to grow unit volumes in a market where the industry-wide average selling price remains a fraction of the iPhone 18 Pro's cost.

Share target in double digits

Tarun Pathak, director at Counterpoint Research, expects Apple's volume market share in India to reach 10% in 2026, which would be the company's first full calendar year in double digits. That compares with just 4% in 2022, implying more than a doubling of share over four years in a market where Apple competes almost entirely at the top of the price ladder.

Apple recorded weaker Indian sales in the June quarter, but the dip was attributed to supply constraints rather than softening demand; sales had otherwise grown for four years. Makers of lower-priced smartphones reportedly saw a sharper decline this year, pointing to pressure concentrated in the entry and mid-range tiers rather than at the premium end.

Manufacturing base and the wider cycle

India is also becoming a more important manufacturing base for iPhones, and recent tax breaks could further strengthen Apple's position in the country. Local assembly shortens the path from factory to shelf and reduces exposure to import duties on finished handsets, while also feeding Apple's export flows out of Indian plants.

The Indian surge comes alongside a solid opening elsewhere: the iPhone 18 Pro series posted a 12% year-over-year sales increase in its first week on sale in China, according to MacDailyNews. Apple has also widened its services footprint in India, with Apple Pay now available on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch and Mac support to follow.

For sector watchers, the open question is durability rather than launch intensity. MacDailyNews noted that Apple will need to keep balancing premium pricing with accessible payment options if the momentum is to last, and said early figures point to another strong cycle for the company in India.