iPhone Shipment: Apple has suffered a major setback ahead of the launch of the new iPhone. A recent report indicates that iPhone shipments in India are declining for the first time in four years.

iPhone shipments in India have seen a decline.

iPhone Shipment: Apple has suffered a major setback ahead of the launch of new iPhones next month . After a steady increase, Apple may face its first year-on-year decline in iPhone shipments in India. However, this isn't due to a decline in demand; rather, supply shortages and a lack of price reduction are the reasons for the decline in iPhone sales this year. It's worth noting that Apple's growth in India has been slowing since the quarter ending December 2025. Let's explore the recent data on iPhone shipments and the reasons behind this.

What has affected the shipments?
 

Interest in the iPhone remains strong, but the unavailability of several iPhone models, the lack of financing and exchange offers, and the lack of expected price reductions on older iPhones are deterring people from purchasing them. Experts believe that even though India remains Apple's fastest-growing revenue market, these factors could lead to a decline in iPhone shipments in 2026. Speaking to Moneycontrol, Upasana Joshi, Research Manager at IDC India, said that Apple is the only company that hasn't increased the prices of its older models, but affordability offers are now lower, which is why iPhone sell-out prices remain higher than in previous quarters.

Android phones get more expensive; iPhone prices remain unchanged.

Nearly all Android companies, including Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Nothing, have increased the prices of their models. Google has also confirmed that the Pixel 11 series, launching this month, will be priced at the increased price. Apple, on the other hand, has not yet raised iPhone prices. However, financing schemes for iPhone purchases are now limited, and exchange discounts are no longer available. Consequently, older iPhones are still selling at around their launch prices.

How much decline is expected in shipments?

Overall smartphone shipments declined by 11-12 percent in the second quarter of this year, while iPhone shipments declined by approximately 1 percent year-on-year, an improvement from the 5 percent decline in the first quarter. Last year, Apple shipped 14.3 million iPhones in India. This year, a decline of approximately 4-6 percent is estimated. Supply constraints for the iPhone 15, 16, and 17 series and the iPhone 18 not launching this year are considered major reasons behind this. A previous Counterpoint Research report stated that iPhone shipments declined by 3 percent year-on-year in the April-June quarter. This was the first quarterly decline for Apple in nearly four years.

iPhone prices are not expected to drop even during the festive season.

Customers usually expect smartphone prices to drop during the festive season, but this time they may be disappointed. Apple typically reduces the price of older models by around ₹10,000 before launching a new series in September. However, this time the company is moving ahead with a new plan. Apple will not launch the iPhone 18 model in September, which is why the price of the highly demanded iPhone 17 is unlikely to be reduced. Meanwhile, there's a risk of iPhones becoming more expensive due to a memory chip shortage. Therefore, customers shouldn't expect discounts on iPhones this festive season.

These iPhones will be launched in September
 

Apple will launch new iPhones in the second week of September. These will include the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the first foldable iPhone Ultra. The remaining models in this series, such as the iPhone 18 , iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2, will be launched in February-March next year.