MC EXCLUSIVE iPhone 17 pre-orders in India top iPhone 16; to drive one-fifth of Apple’s 5 million Sept quarter shipments

iphone17

Initial pre-bookings for Apple’s new iPhone 17 series in India have raced ahead of last year’s iPhone 16 launch, signalling robust momentum as the festive season approaches. The surge puts Apple on track for one of its strongest Diwali quarters yet, even amid supply constraints for iPhone 17 Pro models, analysts said.

iPhone shipments are expected to cross 5 million units in the July–September quarter of 2025, with the iPhone 17 series projected to account for 15–20% of sales despite older models continuing to dominate, according to exclusive data accessed by IDC.

Apple shipped about 4 million iPhones in Q3 2024, with the new models contributing around 10% of volumes, while the bulk came from the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 series, as per IDC.

“Initial pre-bookings for the new iPhone 17 series in India show strong momentum. Pre-orders are outpacing those for the iPhone 16 series during the same period last year, and this positive trend is expected to continue through the upcoming Diwali quarter. The demand for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max has been especially sharp, pushing pre-orders higher and creating the prospect of supply shortages in the early weeks of launch,” Upasana Joshi, analyst at IDC, told Moneycontrol.

Apple’s newly launched iPhone 17 series will be available for purchase in India starting September 19, 2025. 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 new iPhone 17 series features incremental upgrades to hardware and software, including a redesigned look, better battery life, and improved screen, storage, and camera capabilities.

These enhancements are expected to drive faster upgrade cycles and reinforce the iPhone's status as an aspirational product for Indian consumers, Joshi said.

Affordability schemes and upfront bank offers are also playing a crucial role in making these devices more accessible, a strategy that has always worked in favour of premium purchases.

“Demand for iPhone 17 is stronger than that of iPhone 16. The base variant has been upgraded to 256GB, making it a better value promotion compared to last year’s launch. Pro and Pro Max models are seeing the highest demand compared to last year, with the cosmic orange colour particularly popular,” Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint, separately told Moneycontrol.

With the opening of two new Apple stores, bringing the total to four in India, these locations are expected to see a significant surge in foot traffic for the iPhone 17 launch. When a new product launch like the iPhone 17 series generates demand that exceeds initial supply, brands typically prioritize their own retail stores for stock allocation, analysts said.

“This means that official Apple stores are expected to have a better and more consistent supply of the new iPhones compared to other third-party retailers and offline channel partners. Consequently, consumers might find it more challenging to get their hands on the latest devices at non-Apple stores due to tighter inventory,” Joshi said. “We can anticipate longer queues at these official Apple stores, as consumers flock to experience the new devices firsthand.”

Moneycontrol on September 13 reported that mainline retailers warned of thin supplies across stores. They said iPhone 17 allocations by Apple 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.

Pathak said securing inventory in line with demand is a challenge for retailers; hence, consumers should expect longer delivery times.

Analysts also noted that demand for the iPhone 17 Air is relatively low compared to the entire lineup due to pricing, but retailers observed that it is gaining more traction than the earlier Plus variant.

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.