Why iPhone Duo is the Most Expensive Foldable Smartphone in India

Apple launched its first foldable smartphone, iPhone Duo, at the "Surprise and shine” event earlier this week. The much-awaited device comes with impressive features and a premium price tag, starting at $1,999, which is roughly ₹1,90,900, in the U.S. In India, iPhone Duo pricing starts at ₹2,99,900, a difference of about ₹1 lakh. 

Why Does iPhone Duo Cost More in India?

Apple products typically carry premium price tags in India. However, iPhone Duo’s price difference makes it one of the company’s most expensive smartphone offerings in the country. Tarun Pathak, the research director for mobile devices and ecosystems at Counterpoint Research, attributed the price difference to taxes. 

India charges an 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST). The country also imposes a 5% to 6% currency impact charge and an import duty of up to 18% on products manufactured abroad. Combined, the charges contribute to iPhone Duo’s high price in India. 

“India pricing is steep, and the difference is primarily because initial Duo sales will not be 'Made in India' for some time. Consequently, imported units attract full import duty, making them significantly more expensive, along with GST and the impact of a weaker rupee,” Pathak said as cited by Mint.

With the high taxes, the cost of iPhone Duo’s 512GB and 1TB variants in India will likely reach ₹s 3,74,900 and ₹4,49,900, respectively. These prices make the iPhone Duo the most expensive foldable smartphone in India, surpassing competitors like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 8 Ultra at ₹ 1,99,999 and Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold at ₹1,86,999.

iPhone Duo’s Pricing Varies Across Markets

A comparison of iPhone Duo's 256GB model pricing across different markets reveals some differences. The $1,999 U.S. pricing seems to be the lowest. But that's before tax, which ranges between 5% and 8% depending on the state. 

With taxes included, the price rises to about $2,150, or about ₹2.04 lakh. Still, this is significantly lower than countries outside the U.S. In Europe, the price of Apple’s foldable iPhone starts at 2,299 euros, about ₹2.54 lakh, while in the U.K prices start at £1,999, roughly ₹ 2.57 lakh. In China, the price starts at CNY 15,999, translating to roughly ₹ 2.27 lakh, which is the same as Japan's JPY 364,800. In the UAE, the price starts at AED 8,499, or approximately ₹ 2.20 lakh. 

Memory Chips Contribute to Higher iPhone Prices

Apple hiked the price of iPhone 17 and other older models in India following the launch of iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. According to Pathak, the decision was largely driven by rising memory chip costs, which make it difficult for original equipment manufacturers to absorb the extra expenses. The memory chip crunch is expected to continue for another two to three years, potentially pushing device prices higher.