CHENNAI: Apple's newly launched foldable iPhone Duo is priced more than Rs 1 lakh higher in India than in the US, with the base 256GB model costing Rs 2,99,900 in the country compared with a starting price of US$1,999 (around Rs 1.9 lakh) in the US, said a Maalaimalar report.
The price difference has drawn attention as Apple has positioned the iPhone Duo as its first foldable iPhone. While Apple products are generally priced at a premium in India, the iPhone Duo's pricing has made it one of the company's costliest smartphone offerings in the country.
Among the markets compared, the US has the lowest listed price for the iPhone Duo, followed by Canada, Hong Kong and the UAE. India ranks at the higher end of the price comparison.
However, the US price of US$1,999 does not include state sales tax. The final amount therefore varies depending on the state where the device is purchased. Even after factoring in sales tax, the price gap between the US and India remains substantial.
In India, the iPhone Duo 256GB variant is priced at Rs 2,99,900, just Rs 100 short of the Rs 3 lakh mark.
The 512GB model costs Rs 3,24,900, while the 1TB and 2TB variants are priced at Rs 3,74,900 and Rs 4,49,900, respectively.
The wide price variation across countries is likely to be a key consideration for consumers looking to buy Apple's first foldable iPhone, particularly those comparing international and Indian prices.
Display: 7.6-inch inner foldable display
Outer display: 5.4-inch display when folded
Design: Foldable design with a precision hinge
Finish: Nano-texture finish on the inner display to minimise glare
Processor: Apple A20 Pro
Performance: Up to 35% better sustained performance than iPhone 17 Pro
Thermal management: Custom-designed vapor chamber
Battery: Dual-battery architecture with one high-energy battery on each side
Battery life: Up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display and up to 44 hours on the outer display
Charging: Up to 50% charge in around 20 minutes; wireless charging up to 50% in around 30 minutes with MagSafe or Qi2
Main camera: 48MP Fusion Main camera
Telephoto: Integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto
Video: 4K at 120fps in Dolby Vision
Stabilisation: Sensor-shift optical image stabilisation
Camera features: Smart Take, Duo Preview, Kid Cue and Duo FaceTime
Audio: Audio Mix for improved voice quality and music isolation
Time-lapse: 4K Dolby Vision HDR
Operating system: iOS 27
AI: Apple Intelligence and Siri AI
AI features: Personal context understanding, onscreen awareness, AI photo editing, Image Playground and Clean Up
Connectivity: eSIM-only design worldwide
Carrier support: eSIM supported by more than 500 carriers globally
Handoff: iPhone Handoff for switching between supported iPhone models using the same phone number
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB
Colours: Star White and Night Sky
Starting price: US$1,999 for 256GB
Pre-orders: October 16
Availability: October 23
Standout Camera Features
Smart Take: Uses on-device AI to analyse the scene and automatically capture photos when subjects are ready.
Duo Preview: Shows a live camera preview on the outer display, allowing subjects to check framing and pose.
Kid Cue: Plays Peanuts animations on the outer display to attract children's attention towards the camera.
Duo FaceTime: Allows people around the user to join a video call through the outer display.
The A20 Pro chip is paired with an advanced thermal management system and dual-battery architecture. Apple says the iPhone Duo can deliver up to 24 hours of usage per charge when both displays are used equally, while offering up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display and 44 hours on the outer display.
(with ANI inputs)