$Apple(AAPL)$ Apple's latest flagship is finding an enthusiastic audience in India, even with prices still high. Demand for the iPhone 18 Pro has risen nearly 20% compared with the iPhone 17 Pro at the same point last year, according to reports, which suggests premium pricing isn't deterring buyers in one of Apple's fastest-growing markets. The iPhone 18 lineup went on sale on September 18 and drew long lines in major cities. Some customers traveled for hours to reach Apple Stores in places like Mumbai, with waits stretching as long as 10 hours. Many buyers seem motivated less by specific new features and more by the desire to own Apple's newest iPhone.

Counterpoint Research director Tarun Pathak expects Apple's volume market share in India to reach 10% in 2026, the company's first full calendar year in double digits. That would be a sharp rise from just 4% in 2022. The base iPhone 18 Pro costs the equivalent of about $1,700 in India. Apple and partners have softened the sticker shock with zero-interest financing that lets eligible customers spread payments over a year, keeping monthly installments below 10% of the phone's price. For some consumers, the high price itself reinforces the device's premium status.