Croma has opened pre-bookings for Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in India, giving customers the option to reserve the new Pro models through its stores and online platforms. Alongside the latest iPhones, the retailer has also announced aggressive offers on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, with the former starting at an effective price of Rs 69,990 after applicable offers and exchange benefits.
The announcement comes with some interesting insights into Apple’s premium smartphone demand in India. According to Croma’s sales data from the past year, one in five iPhone buyers opted for a Pro model, while 256GB emerged as the most popular storage option. Maharashtra accounted for the largest share of iPhone sales, followed by Delhi and Karnataka.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Pre-Bookings Open
Croma has started accepting pre-bookings for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max across more than 560 stores in over 200 cities. Customers can also pre-book the devices through Croma.com, the Tata Neu app and BigBasket.
At Croma stores, customers can pre-book either model by paying Rs 5,000, while online pre-bookings through Croma.com, Tata Neu and BigBasket require full payment. Customers can also get an exclusive exchange bonus of up to Rs 12,000 when purchasing the new iPhone 18 Pro models. The new Pro models bring Apple’s latest hardware upgrades, including the A20 Pro chip, C2 wireless modem and a 48MP Fusion main camera with a physical variable aperture.
Croma has also opened pre-bookings for the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods. These products can be pre-booked at Croma stores for Rs 2,000, while online orders require full payment.
iPhone 17 Pro Price Starts at Rs 69,990
While the iPhone 18 Pro series is now up for pre-booking, Croma is positioning the previous-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max as value-focused alternatives. The iPhone 17 Pro 256GB can be purchased at an effective price of Rs 69,990 in stores, while the 512GB model is available at Rs 88,490. These prices include applicable offers involving a Rs 4,000 bank cashback, an exchange value of up to Rs 44,500 for an eligible iPhone 15 Pro and a Rs 12,000 exchange bonus.
The iPhone 17 Pro can also be purchased through Croma.com at Rs 1,26,490 for 256GB and Rs 1,45,990 for 512GB, inclusive of the Rs 4,000 bank cashback, starting September 15.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB is available at an effective store price of Rs 74,990, while the 512GB variant costs Rs 94,990. Customers can get up to Rs 53,000 for an eligible iPhone 15 Pro Max through exchange, along with the Rs 12,000 exchange bonus and Rs 4,000 bank cashback.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is listed online at Rs 1,39,990 for 256GB and Rs 1,59,990 for 512GB, inclusive of the bank cashback, starting September 15.
Croma is also offering a Hyphen case combo worth Rs 3,499 free with an iPhone 17 Pro series purchase, along with 10% off on AppleCare+. Customers choosing six months of No-Cost EMI can also get Rs 4,000 cashback.
Croma Reflects A New Trend In Its Sales
Croma’s sales data provides an interesting look at what Indian consumers want from their iPhones. The retailer says Pro models accounted for 20% of its iPhone sales over the past year, meaning one in every five buyers chose a Pro variant. Non-Pro models still dominated with an 80% share.
The data also shows a clear preference for relatively compact flagship phones. Devices with 6.3-inch displays, including the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro, accounted for 84% of sales, while the larger 6.9-inch iPhone 17 Pro Max represented 12% of sales. This suggests that while Indian consumers are willing to spend more on Pro models, the majority still prefer a form factor that balances a large display with everyday portability.
Another major trend highlighted by Croma is the growing preference for 256GB storage. The retailer says the 256GB configuration surpassed both 128GB and 512GB variants to become the most popular storage option among its iPhone buyers.
The shift is being attributed to changing usage patterns, with consumers increasingly storing high-resolution photos, videos, applications and other digital content on their smartphones. As a result, higher storage is increasingly being viewed as a practical requirement rather than a premium upgrade. Maharashtra emerged as Croma’s biggest iPhone market, accounting for 23% of sales over the past year. Delhi and Karnataka followed with an 11% share each.
Croma’s data also indicates that Apple continues to attract users from outside its existing ecosystem. Around 15% of iPhone buyers switched from Android, while 8% purchased AppleCare protection plans. The retailer also recorded more than 100 iPhone orders delivered within 20 minutes across Pune, Mumbai and Bengaluru, with its fastest reported delivery completed in 10 minutes and 31 seconds in Pune.
iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: Value or Latest Hardware?
The new Croma offers create an interesting choice for buyers. Those looking for the latest Apple hardware can pre-book the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max and receive an exchange bonus of up to Rs 12,000.
However, buyers who do not necessarily need the latest generation can now consider the iPhone 17 Pro series at substantially lower effective prices. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at Rs 69,990 under the specified in-store offer, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at Rs 74,990 with eligible exchange, bank cashback and exchange bonus benefits. The contrast is particularly notable given Croma’s finding that Pro models already have a 20% share among its iPhone buyers. The retailer is effectively giving customers two distinct upgrade paths, either choosing the newest Pro generation or picking up the previous Pro models at heavily reduced effective prices.
Croma’s latest iPhone announcement is more than just another pre-booking offer. It gives us an interesting snapshot of how Indians are buying iPhones, while simultaneously creating a strong value proposition for last year’s Pro models.
The Rs 69,990 effective price for the iPhone 17 Pro is easily the biggest talking point for buyers willing to use exchange and bank offers. At the same time, the iPhone 18 Pro pre-booking comes with up to Rs 12,000 in exchange benefits for those who want the latest hardware. The sales data is equally interesting. One in five buyers choosing a Pro model, 256GB emerging as the preferred storage option and 84% of buyers favouring 6.3-inch iPhones shows that Indian iPhone buyers are increasingly making decisions around performance, storage and usability rather than simply buying the most expensive model. For someone upgrading this year, the choice now comes down to a simple question: pay a premium for the latest iPhone 18 Pro experience or grab the iPhone 17 Pro at a much lower effective price.
