Fans of Apple may get a big shock. Buying an iPhone from retail stores in India could soon become more expensive.
According to a Moneycontrol report, prices of older iPhone models may rise because Apple has stopped a key incentive program for offline retailers.
This program was designed to boost sales. It allowed retailers to offer cashback and special discounts on older iPhones. Now that the program has ended, retailers cannot give those offers anymore, making these devices less affordable.
Because of this change, even buying older iPhones could become costly for Indian customers. Popular models like the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 may become around ₹5,000 more expensive.
Earlier, Apple had already reduced cashback offers from ₹6,000 to just ₹1,000. This had already made the iPhone 17 series more expensive,
and now the removal of incentives has added more pressure on prices, especially in the mid-premium segment where older models are in high demand.
What is DG Support?
Demand Generation (DG) support is a system used by smartphone brands to help reduce prices and increase demand. Through this, companies give backend incentives to retailers.
These incentives allow retailers to offer discounts without officially changing the MRP. This is why phones like the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 were available at lower prices earlier.
How This Will Affect Customers
Now that DG support is being removed, retailers will not be able to offer the same discounts as before. This means customers will have to pay more, even if the official price (MRP) stays the same.
This change is expected to happen immediately. Some retailers say that this may be the last chance to buy these iPhones at discounted prices. After that, buyers may have to pay around ₹5,000 more, especially those waiting for prices to drop.
However, this decision does not affect the latest iPhone 17 lineup. It only applies to older models. Apple has also not increased the official prices of its flagship phones.
Why Demand May Still Stay Strong
In India, older iPhones usually remain popular because they become more affordable after new models are launched. Even with price increases, demand may not drop much.
This is because many people buy smartphones using EMI options, which reduces the impact of higher prices.
Other Smartphone Brands Are Also Raising Prices
Apple is not the only company increasing prices. Other major brands like Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, Xiaomi, Motorola, and Nothing have also been increasing prices since November and continued doing so in March.
Experts say this trend may continue in the coming months.
Reasons Behind Price Hikes
The main reason for rising prices is the increase in component costs, especially memory and storage. This has raised production costs for smartphone companies.
To manage this, many brands have reduced their sales targets by up to 20%. Instead of selling more units, they are focusing on earning better profits from each device.
Smartphone Market May Face Challenges in 2026
The smartphone market in India may face a tough time in 2026. Issues like global supply problems, rupee fluctuations, and rising component costs are creating pressure.
According to International Data Corporation, smartphone shipments in India may fall by 12–15% this year after staying stable in 2025.
Android phones are expected to be affected the most, while Apple’s iPhone lineup may still perform relatively well, with small growth compared to last year.
