Apple Launches iPhone Duo in Foldable Market But Faces Pricing Challenges in India
Apple recently introduced its latest smartphone lineup with a new foldable model called the iPhone Duo, marking a significant design shift for the company. Alongside this launch were price increases across all models due to rising component costs, particularly memory chips. Apple also raised prices on older models, passing these higher input costs onto consumers. The most notable impact of these pricing changes is in India, where smartphone shipments have declined but average selling prices are increasing. Despite strong revenue growth for Apple in the region last fiscal year—exceeding $10 billion—the recent price hikes could alienate a large customer base there. For example, the iPhone 18 Pro's Indian price tag of INR 164,900 (about $1,725) is significantly higher than its U.S. counterpart and well above India’s smartphone average selling price. Apple faces a dilemma: maintaining profit margins while risking slower growth in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. The iPhone Duo starts at over $3,100 in India—far beyond what many consumers can afford given the country's GDP per capita.
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Topics: Apple India market iPhone Duo pricing strategy