Overview
- Apple opened iPhone Duo pre‑orders on October 16 in India and says retail sales will start on October 23, with prices starting at ₹2,99,900 for the 256GB model and topping out at ₹4,49,900 for 2TB.
- Apple posted official repair estimates that put an inner foldable‑display replacement at about ₹1,49,900 and listed an ‘Other Damage’ category up to ₹2,24,900, while AppleCare+ two‑year cover is priced at ₹51,900 and can cut an eligible inner‑screen repair to roughly ₹8,900.
- Hours after US pre‑orders opened, Apple’s site showed delivery ETAs moving into January 2027 for many configurations, signaling constrained early supply or strong demand that could produce similar delays for some variants in other markets.
- Industry data from Counterpoint Research show preliminary Q3 2026 global smartphone shipments fell about 20% year‑on‑year, a fall analysts link to chipmakers reallocating DRAM and NAND capacity to higher‑margin AI and data‑centre products, which raises component costs and pushes up retail prices.
- The memory squeeze is most likely to pinch India’s budget segment by reducing channel shipments and festival‑season stock, which could force higher prices or fewer discounts and prompt some buyers to delay purchases or keep older phones longer.