With Apple iPhone Duo, iPhone prices in India cross Rs 4 lakh

Apple iPhone Duo comes with a starting price of Rs 2,99,900Apple has officially unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first-ever folding smartphone, and essentially rewriting pricing benchmarks for mobile phones in India. With a starting price of Rs 2,99,900 for the baseline 256GB model, the top-end variant reaches a price of Rs 4,49,900, establishing the iPhone Duo as the first iPhone in history to breach the Rs 4 lakh threshold in the Indian market. Apple isn't alone in hiking prices either — in fact, it's arguably the last major company to do so. Across the industry, phone makers have been raising prices due to a sharp spike in memory chip costs, driven largely by the massive global demand for AI data centres.iPhone Duo price in IndiaAcross its four storage configurations, domestic pricing is structured as follows:256GB: Rs 2,99,900512GB: Rs 3,24,9001TB: Rs 3,74,9002TB: Rs 4,49,900Launch perks include trade-in credits between Rs 4,500 and Rs 81,500, up to six months of no-cost EMI terms, and instant cashback up to Rs 7,000 on ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and American Express cards. Buyers can also pick up two official accessories built with MagSafe and Qi2 compatibility: the Duo Folio case featuring a built-in kickstand for Rs 14,900, or a modular two-piece shell for Rs 8,900.iPhone Duo specifications and featureWhen shut, the iPhone Duo operates like an ordinary smartphone via a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR outer panel. Unfolded, it opens to an expansive 7.6-inch main workspace. Both panels share identical aspect ratios, run ProMotion, offer Always-On capabilities up to 3,000 nits, and sport an anti-reflective nano-texture finish on the inner screen to mask the folding crease. The body features an IP68 weather-resistance rating, an outer Ceramic Shield 2 cover glass, and a grade 5 titanium chassis.The iPhone Duo is powered by the 2nm A20 Pro processor, matching the iPhone 18 Pro. Apple says that the chip incorporates a 6-core CPU that is 20% faster than the A19 Pro, a 7-core graphics unit with a 40% speed bump, and a dual 16-core Neural Engine.The phone gets split batteries placed inside each half function as a single unit, delivering 31 hours of continuous video playback on the larger inner display, 44 hours on the cover screen and roughly 24 hours of mixed routine usage, as per Apple.When it comes to cameras, the iPhone Duo utilises a 48MP Dual Fusion system pairing an optically stabilised main sensor with 2x zoom alongside a 48MP ultra-wide shooter. A 12MP Center Stage camera sits on the exterior screen, while an uninterrupted FaceTime camera sits hidden under the main inner panel for 1080p video.SpecificationiPhone DuoInner Display7.6-inch Super Retina XDR folding, nano-texture, ProMotion, Always On, 3,000 nitsOuter Display5.4-inch Super Retina XDR, same aspect ratio, ProMotion, Always OnProcessorA20 Pro (2nm, 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, dual 16-core Neural Engine)Rear Camera48MP Fusion Main (sensor-shift OIS), 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide, 2x optical-quality zoomFront Camera12MP Center Stage on outer display, under-display FaceTime camera insideVideo Recording4K up to 120 fps in Dolby Vision, 4K time-lapse, Photographic Styles 3Battery LifeDual battery; 31 hours video (inner display), 44 hours video (outer display), 24 hours typical useChargingFast wired charging (50% in ~20 mins), MagSafe (50% in ~30 mins)Biometric SecurityTouch ID integrated into the side button (no Face ID)Build & DurabilityGrade 5 titanium frame and hinge cover, Ceramic Shield 2 front, IP68 water/dust resistanceConnectivityeSIM only, C2 modem, N1 chip (Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread)Operating SystemiOS 27.1 (Split View, StandBy, Siri AI in beta; Apple Pencil support coming later this year)Storage Options256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TBColor OptionsStar White, Night SkyPrice in IndiaStarting from ₹2,99,900Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max price in IndiaAlongside the Duo, the new iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at Rs 1,79,900, with their respective maximum 2TB trims topping out at Rs 3,14,900 and Rs 3,29,900.iPhone 18 Pro256GB: Rs 1,64,900512GB: Rs 1,89,9001TB: Rs 2,39,9002TB: Rs 3,14,900iPhone 18 Pro Max256GB: Rs 1,79,900512GB: Rs 2,04,9001TB: Rs 2,54,9002TB: Rs 3,29,900Storage TieriPhone Duo (Rs)iPhone 18 Pro (INR)iPhone 18 Pro Max (INR)256GBRs 2,99,900Rs 1,64,900Rs 1,79,900512GBRs 3,24,900Rs 1,89,900Rs 2,04,9001TBRs 3,74,900Rs 2,39,900Rs 2,54,9002TBRs 4,49,900Rs 3,14,900Rs 3,29,900A rapid climb in ultra-premium pricingThe steep price tag represents a massive upward trend compared to past cycles. The iPhone 15 Pro Max entered the domestic market starting at Rs 1,59,900 for 256GB of storage, while its 1TB variant stopped just shy of the two-lakh mark at Rs 1,99,900. The subsequent 1TB iPhone 16 Pro Max was pegged at Rs 1,84,900. It was the 2TB edition of the iPhone 17 Pro Max that first crossed into uncharted territory at Rs 2,29,900.