MC EXCLUSIVE iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max shortages loom in India; expect delays, say retailers

iPhone 17 pro

Shoppers eyeing Apple’s latest iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could face disappointment this coming launch week, as mainline retailers warn of thin supplies across stores. Customers who want the top-end models may need to turn to Apple’s own outlets or ecommerce platforms instead.

Industry sources attribute the shortage to Apple’s significantly expanded retail network, which now spans across 500 cities, thereby reducing per-store allocation of iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 17 opened in India on September 12, with availability beginning September 19. But retailers say allocations are heavily skewed toward the base models. In a typical 500-unit delivery, only about 50 are Pro units and as few as 10 are Pro Max devices. The crunch is sharper for higher-capacity versions like the 512GB and 1TB, which remain extremely scarce, retailers told Moneycontrol.

“Consumers walking in on launch day usually want the Pro or Pro Max, and often the top-end storage models,” one retailer said. “But we simply don’t get enough units to meet that demand.”

The shortage is particularly tough on retailers that take advance bookings, who find themselves unable to meet customer commitments. Some try to convert buyers to other variants, while others lose out to Apple’s own channels.

A second retailer said Apple distributors had assured them of sufficient supply for September 19 sales, with a second batch to follow. But the initial lot is 40% lower than last year. Another added, “Distributors are logistics partners. They just do what they are told. There is no clear logic given behind this strategy despite phones getting made in India.”

Most retailers privately acknowledge this has become a yearly pattern, with shortages for the high-end Pro models in the opening weeks gradually easing later.

Sources familiar with Apple’s sales strategy told Moneycontrol that the supply crunch is not due to any friction between Apple, retailers, or distributors, but is primarily a demand–supply mismatch.

They confirmed, however, that allocations per retailer have been reduced as Apple’s channel reach has expanded significantly compared to last year.

“Units per retailer may have reduced because the channel breadth has increased significantly. Apple’s channel now spans across 500 cities in the country, up significantly over last year. This is always a demand-supply issue; it always ramps up. It is a matter of two weeks,” a source familiar with Apple’s channel strategy told Moneycontrol.

Sources say initial production of the newly launched iPhone series in India is tilted toward base models, while ramp-up for Pro models globally happens a couple of weeks after launch, based on demand. They add that there will be no shortage of iPhone 17 base models.

Foxconn and Tata-run Pegatron are assembling the iPhone 17 Pro, while Wistron in Karnataka and Hosur are making the iPhone 17 base model. Foxconn’s Sriperumbudur plant is building Apple’s slimmest device yet, the iPhone Air. Much of this output is bound for the US and Europe, even as it feeds India’s rising demand, sources told Moneycontrol on September 10.

Owing to the shortage, prices of Pro models in the black market typically rise by 10–20% during launch week, as buyers scramble to get their hands on the devices. Offline retailers often charge a steep premium, particularly for the Pro and Pro Max variants, if pre-orders are not placed in time.
Queries sent to Apple India didn't elicit any response.

The supply shortage in India’s offline channel mirrors a similar situation in the U.S., especially for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The estimated delivery date for most configurations there is between October 6 and October 13. That model has historically been the most popular among early adopters.

Meanwhile, Apple’s own stores are expected to draw strong footfall once sales begin. The company expanded its retail network with two new stores in Bengaluru and Pune earlier this month, timed just ahead of the iPhone 17 launch.

Apple opened its first-ever India retail store at Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in April 2023, followed shortly by Apple Saket in New Delhi the same month. In their debut year, the two stores together clocked about Rs 800 crore in revenue, making them Apple’s top-performing outlets globally, Moneycontrol exclusively reported on October 24. Notably, nearly 60% of sales came from the smaller Saket store.

The strong performance came despite Apple already having a vast network of premium resellers and thousands of multi-brand outlets across India. Alongside its physical presence, the company also sells devices through its own online store as well as platforms like Flipkart and Amazon.

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.

The iPhone 17’s launch price of Rs 82,900 marks Apple’s first upward revision since the iPhone 12 series in 2020. The iPhone 13, 14, 15, and 16 had all started at Rs 79,900, as Apple kept prices steady despite rising costs. However, the base iPhone 17 now offers 256GB of storage, up from 128GB on the iPhone 16. In fact, when compared storage-to-storage, the iPhone 17 (256GB) is Rs 7,000 cheaper than the iPhone 16’s 256GB launch price.