Croma Launches iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Bookings in India as Major Carriers Sit Out the Opening Weekend

Indian electronics retailer Croma has opened pre-bookings for Apple's newly announced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max lineup across more than 560 physical stores in over 200 cities, alongside digital channels including croma.com, the Tata Neu app, and BigBasket. The launch arrives alongside aggressive trade-in promotions for discontinued previous-generation Pro models, even as major telecommunication operators in India showed an absence of device promotions on their homepages during the pre-order weekend.

Pre-bookings at Croma require an in-store deposit of ₹5,000 for the new Pro models, while online pre-orders mandate full payment upfront. In addition to the iPhone 18 Pro series, Croma opened pre-bookings for the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods for an in-store advance of ₹2,000. Meanwhile, Apple's official Indian storefront listed direct pricing for the iPhone 18 Pro starting at ₹1,64,900 for the 256GB storage tier and ₹1,79,900 for the Pro Max variant, backed by up to ₹7,000 in instant cashback using eligible American Express, Axis Bank, or ICICI Bank cards, together with up to six months of no-cost EMI options.

Infiniti Retail Ltd., operating through the Croma chain under the Tata Group, deployed a structured omni-channel release schedule for Apple's latest hardware. Customers choosing to secure the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max through physical storefronts can utilize a ₹5,000 advance payment model. Digital pre-orders executed through croma.com, the Tata Neu ecosystem, or BigBasket require full upfront payment from consumers.

The new hardware package introduces Apple's latest mobile silicon architecture, featuring the A20 Pro chip, the in-house C2 wireless modem, and a 48MP Fusion main camera equipped with a physical variable aperture. Croma is offering an exclusive exchange bonus of up to ₹12,000 for customers trading in qualifying older devices toward the new Pro lineup.

A direct verification check of major telecommunication carriers in India during the pre-order weekend revealed a distinct absence of promotional activity. The primary homepages and dedicated device pages for Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vi carried no prominent offers, trade-in tiers, or cash-back programs specifically for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup during the weekend of September 13.

While Jio promoted its ₹3,599 annual recharge plan, a ₹299 mobile plan, and various home broadband packages, and Airtel displayed general categories for Wi-Fi, prepaid, postpaid, and DTH services, neither carrier published device-specific financing or subsidy structures comparable to carrier models observed in overseas markets like the United States. This leaves the primary published discount structures concentrated within Apple's direct storefront and participating retail partners.

Concurrently, Croma initiated heavy clearance pricing on the previous-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models, which were discontinued by Apple following the introduction of the new Pro generation. Under store-level promotional terms starting September 15, the iPhone 17 Pro 256GB model is listed at an effective price of ₹69,990, while the 512GB version drops to ₹88,490.

Achieving the lower effective price point requires consumers to combine multiple promotional mechanisms rather than receiving a direct flat price reduction. The structure includes an exchange value of up to ₹44,500 for an iPhone 15 Pro depending on its condition, an additional ₹12,000 exchange bonus, and ₹4,000 in bank cashback on select credit cards. HDFC Tata Neu cardholders can unlock an extra 10% discount subject to specific program terms. Similar bundled calculations apply to the iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB variant, which drops to an effective ₹74,990 with an exchange value reaching up to ₹53,000 for an older Pro Max device.

Online pricing for the older Pro generation remains higher when purchased directly through digital channels without in-store trade-in alignment. On Croma's website, the iPhone 17 Pro 256GB is scheduled to list at ₹1,26,490, and the Pro Max 256GB at ₹1,39,990, inclusive only of applicable bank cashbacks. Additionally, Croma bundled a complimentary Hyphen case valued at ₹3,499 and a flat 10% discount on AppleCare+ purchases made alongside the older Pro handsets.