Refurbished iPhones Surge as Apple Hikes India Prices: Report

Apple’s pricing strategy in India is creating a robust secondary market for its own products. New iPhone 18 Pro Max models start at ₹1,79,900, while some existing models saw price hikes up to 43%. This forces budget-conscious consumers to refurbished options, where demand rose 30.8% in 2025. India's overall smartphone market volumes declined 10% year-on-year in Q2 2026. This shows a clear price sensitivity among Indian consumers.

The shift benefits organized refurbished players like Cashify and Samsung, which offers 'Certified Re-Newed' devices. Apple dominates this segment on Cashify, holding 65.3% of sales in 2025. However, Counterpoint Research indicates Samsung leads the overall organized refurbished market with a 30% share in H1 2026, against Apple’s 23%. This suggests Apple’s strength is platform-specific.

The key thing to watch is whether Apple’s new pricing strategy can sustain its premium brand image without alienating a significant portion of the aspirational Indian market. The rising share of 5G refurbished phones, from 18.4% in 2024 to 61% in 2025, shows consumers prioritize current technology even in the secondary market.