New Delhi, Sep 28: In a boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the iPhone 17 Air and 17 models are gaining stronger traction than last year's Plus and 16 series devices in India, according to vendors and industry analysts, as the new 17 series fly off the shelves in the country.

Tech giant is set to achieve its highest festive-sales count in India, with analysts forecasting a 28 per cent year-on-year sales increase in 2025 owing to the success of the iPhone 17 series. Apple saw its annual sales hit a record of nearly $9 billion last fiscal, as disposable incomes rise amid strong consumer demand.

Analysts said that the first week of sales for the iPhone 17 series was 19 per cent higher than the iPhone 16 series.

According to Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, Tarun Pathak, Apple is effectively capitalising on the premiumisation trend in India. “The new iPhone 17 Air, despite a higher price, is gaining stronger traction than last year's Plus model,” Pathak said.

Apple is on track to cross 4.5 million shipments this festive quarter with the new iPhone Air poised to generate fresh traction.

Prabhu Ram, VP, Industry Research Group (IRG), CMR said in a market dominated majorly by value for money phones, there is a good healthy growth for premium smartphones driven by rising disposable incomes among a growing middle class.

“Apple's growth momentum is driven by its strong brand salience, increased manufacturing and retail focus in the market,” he mentioned.

While iPhone 17 (256 GB) starts at Rs 82,900, iPhone Air (256 GB) begins from Rs 119,900; iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB) starts from Rs 134,900 and iPhone 17 Pro Max (256 GB) from Rs 149,900.

iPhone Air features a breakthrough titanium design that is elegant and light yet strong. The back of iPhone Air is now protected with Ceramic Shield, and the front cover uses Ceramic Shield 2, delivering 3x better scratch resistance, making iPhone Air more durable than any previous iPhone.

iPhone Air also features a stunning 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion up to 120Hz.1 With the most Apple-designed chips in an iPhone — the powerhouse A19 Pro, N1, and C1X — iPhone Air is the most power-efficient iPhone ever made. A powerful 48MP Fusion Main camera enables the equivalent of four lenses with incredible image quality, and the innovative 18MP Center Stage front camera takes selfies to the next level.

iPhone 17 features the new Center Stage front camera that takes selfies to the next level; a powerful 48MP Fusion Main camera with an optical-quality 2x Telephoto; and a new 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera that captures expansive scenes and macro photography in more detail, according to the company.

The 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion is bigger and brighter, enabling supersmooth scrolling, immersive gaming, and improved efficiency. It is all powered by the latest-generation A19 chip for higher performance and longevity.

India is also becoming central to Apple’s manufacturing plans, with one in every five iPhones now being produced in the country.

(IANS)

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