iPhone 18 Pro: The Cheapest New iPhone in September 2026 Will Cost At least Rs 1,45,000...

Apple is changing things drastically this year with the iPhone 18 launch. Last September, the entry point to a brand new iPhone was ₹82,900. This September, it will be somewhere near ₹1,45,000. Having said that, Apple is trying to make this move work by not launching an affordable iPhone 18 along with the iPhone 18 Pro series. So, if you want to buy a new iPhone in 2026, the iPhone 18 Pro will be your cheapest option and in India it can start anywhere upwards of Rs 1.45 lakh. It coincides with a change at the top. Tim Cook steps down and John Ternus becomes chief executive on 1 September, eight days before the keynote. What Is Actually Launching Model September 2026 Early 2027 iPhone 18 Pro Yes iPhone 18 Pro Max Yes iPhone Ultra, foldable Yes iPhone 18 No Expected iPhone 18e No Expected iPhone Air 2 No Expected This would be the first break from the four-model autumn lineup Apple has run since the iPhone 12 generation in 2020. The sourcing is unusually broad for a rumour of this size. Ming-Chi Kuo, former reporter Wayne Ma and comments from Apple supplier Largan Precision all point the same way, and references to six unreleased iPhones have turned up in the iOS 27 beta code. Apple’s reasoning, as reported, is practical: split the launch to ease component pressure, manage the memory shortage, and put manufacturing capacity behind high-margin Pro models and the foldable. The Price Problem, In Numbers Model India price iPhone 17, launched September 2025 ₹82,900 iPhone 17 Pro, launched September 2025 ₹1,34,900 iPhone 18 Pro, if $100 increase About ₹1,45,000 iPhone 18 Pro Max, current estimates ₹1,54,900 to ₹1,79,900 iPhone Ultra, at reported $2,000 Roughly ₹1,90,000 and up US estimates put the iPhone 18 Pro somewhere between $1,200 and $1,300, against $1,099 for the iPhone 17 Pro. Two things are worth separating here. There is the normal generational increase, which is modest. And there is the memory shortage, which is not. Counterpoint estimates the bill of materials on the iPhone 18 Pro Max is up close to $300 year on year, with NAND flash alone exceeding $250 on the 1TB model. TechInsights puts the DRAM package at roughly $145 against about $39 last year, a 272 percent rise for equivalent memory. Apple has already passed this on elsewhere, raising Mac, iPad and smart home prices earlier this year, with India taking the steepest increase of any market. There are also reports that Apple may raise prices on iPhones already on sale around 8 September, though analysts disagree sharply on whether that happens. iPhone 18 Pro And Pro Max Specification Expected Chip A20 Pro on TSMC 2nm Software iOS 27 Display, Pro 6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz Display, Pro Max 6.9-inch OLED, 120Hz Rear cameras Triple 48MP, variable aperture on the main sensor Front camera 18MP Modem Apple C2 RAM 12GB Dynamic Island Reportedly smaller, though disputed The variable aperture is the genuine hardware first: a physical multi-blade iris on the main camera that opens wide in low light or narrows to deepen the focal plane. Reports also point to a wider maximum aperture on the telephoto, with both upgrades exclusive to the Pro models. Externally, expect continuity. Same broad dimensions, same camera plateau, new colours. On the Dynamic Island, hold your expectations loosely. The shrink has been reported for months, but supply chain reporting from The Elec suggests the under-display Face ID component has hit production delays and the cutout may not change at all this year. Colours Dark Cherry, Light Blue, Dark Grey and Silver, with Dark Cherry positioned as the new signature shade. Cosmic Orange is reportedly being retired after a single generation. iPhone Ultra Specification Expected Cover display 5.5-inch Inner display 7.8-inch foldable, supplied by Samsung Thickness folded 9 to 9.5mm Thickness unfolded 4.5 to 4.8mm Rear cameras Dual, no telephoto Biometrics Touch ID in the side button, no Face ID RAM 12GB Battery About 5,500mAh Hinge Stainless steel and titanium alloy Colours Silver White and Deep Indigo Reported price From $2,000 The book-style form factor is broadly comparable to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line, which is unsurprising given Samsung is supplying the display. The Touch ID return is the notable change. Dropping Face ID keeps the folded profile thin, and it would be the first time in years that an iPhone shipped without it. The camera compromise is real too. A dual rear setup with no telephoto means the most expensive iPhone ever made will have less optical reach than the Pro models sitting below it. That fits the pattern of first-generation foldables trading capability for form. Battery claims The Ultra’s 5,500mAh cell is widely described as the largest Apple has ever fitted. That may not survive contact with the Pro Max. Chinese regulatory filings point to 5,567mAh in the eSIM iPhone 18 Pro Max. If both figures hold, the Pro Max carries the larger battery, and the Ultra’s headline is wrong by about 67mAh. What This Means If You Were Planning To Upgrade If you wanted a standard iPhone 18, you are waiting until early 2027. That is roughly six months beyond the usual cycle, and there is no interim option at that price. If you were upgrading from an iPhone 15 or older, the choice narrows to paying Pro money or buying an outgoing model. The iPhone 17 should discount after 18 September, though reports of a lineup-wide price rise around 8 September complicate that assumption in both directions. If you own an iPhone 17 Pro, the case for upgrading rests almost entirely on whether variable aperture matters to your work. The broader point is simple enough. Apple has not raised the price of a phone by 75 percent. It has removed the cheap one and left the expensive ones, which produces the same outcome for anyone buying new this September.