“Retailers and channels are actively messaging consumers to buy the iPhone 17 now, warning them that a price increase is expected later,” said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research. “Our weekly market checks following Apple’s recent price hikes show there is a notable increase in demand for the iPhone 17 with increased inquiries about stock and the timing of the price hike,” he added.
Apple has increased prices for MacBooks, iPads, and smart home products, but has not made any announcements about price increases for iPhones. Retailers said that for the past ten days, domestic supply of iPhone 17 models has been tight, fueling a frenzy among buyers to get their hands on them before prices rise.
“People pay full price without asking for any discount. Many wanted to buy from Flipkart or Amazon but can’t find the right color or storage,” a Delhi-based retailer, who asked not to be named, told ET.
Apple did not respond to emails seeking comment as of press time Friday.
Market trackers said there was a definite boost in iPhone sales in the April-June quarter amid broader expectation that the company may not launch a new version of the base iPhone model this year, instead focusing on its first foldable iPhone. An industry analyst said early estimates suggest iPhone shipments topped 3.5 million last quarter, up from 3.1 million a year earlier. The latest quarter was also sequentially stronger for iPhone sales compared to the March quarter.
Promotional sales on Flipkart and Amazon have further boosted the company’s shipments, said the analyst who asked not to be identified.
The inventory situation comes after outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook said price increases are inevitable in the current environment as the consumer electronics industry grapples with rising component costs and increasingly tight availability of key parts like memory and storage modules. Shortly after, the company raised the prices of its Macs, iPads and smart home products.
iPhone prices have remained unchanged, even though Apple has withdrawn some affordability plans, according to retailers. Supply chain analysts noted that Apple is paying more and more than before to manufacture an iPhone model, as memory costs have nearly tripled since the beginning of this year.
