My screen time yesterday was twelve hours. Twelve.
I spent the last two days drowning in a sea of “Great Republic Day” banners, trying to find a deal that didn’t feel like a carnival scam. It hurt. My eyes were burning, and my spreadsheet looked like a conspiracy theorist’s wall map. But here’s the thing: amidst the noise and the flashy countdown timers, I found gold.
And I found traps.
Most people just click “Buy Now” on the first banner they see. That’s a mistake. If you want to actually save money—not just feel like you saved money—you need to ignore the homepage hype. I’ve hacked through the marketing fluff to show you what’s actually happening with iPhone prices this week.
Here are five brutal truths about the 2026 sales.
1. The Real Discounts Are Hiding in Plain Sight (At Croma)
Everyone is looking at Amazon and Flipkart. It makes sense. They have the biggest ads. But while the internet was fighting over server bandwidth, I walked into a Croma store (and checked their site).
The difference was staggering.
If you just look at the sticker price, Amazon lists the iPhone 15 for around ₹50,249. Flipkart has the iPhone 16 for ₹56,999. Decent? Sure. But look at what happens when you play the “stacking” game at Croma with the iPhone 17.
The Math Doesn’t Lie:
- Launch Price: ₹82,900
- The “Stack”: Exchange discount (up to ₹23,500) + Flat Exchange Bonus (₹8,000) + Bank Cashback (₹2,000).
- Your Price: ~₹47,900.
I actually ran the numbers twice because I didn’t believe it. You can get the latest flagship for less than the price of last year’s base model if—and only if—you have an old phone to trade. This isn’t a “sale.” It’s a loophole. Croma is using its offline muscle to undercut the online giants, but they make you work for it.
2. You Are Walking Into a Price Trap
I need to be blunt. The “lowest prices of the year” banners are lying to you.
I track these prices for a living. I have screenshots from four months ago that prove you are paying more today than you would have during Diwali. It makes me furious to see unsuspecting buyers celebrate a “deal” that is actually a markup.
Look at the data:
- iPhone 15 (Now): Selling for ₹50,249 on Amazon.
- iPhone 15 (October): Sold for ₹43,749 during the Great Indian Festival.
That is a ₹6,500 “Republic Day Tax” you are paying just because you didn’t buy in October. The same goes for the iPhone 16 on Flipkart, which was ₹5,000 cheaper during the Big Billion Days.
Does this mean you shouldn’t buy? No. It means you need to stop trusting the strikethrough price. Know the history. If you are buying an older model, you are fighting an uphill battle against inflation.
3. The “One Year Rule” Is Dead
There is this old piece of advice that floats around tech forums: “Wait a year to buy the new iPhone.”
Rubbish.
That rule expired in 2025. The iPhone 17 launched in September. It is currently January. That is four months. Yet, Flipkart is listing the 256GB base model for ₹74,990 (down from ₹82,900).
That’s a ₹7,910 drop before you even touch a bank offer.
I’ve never seen Apple’s pricing structure collapse this quickly for a current-gen device. If you are holding out for the iPhone 18 just to save money, don’t. The market has shifted. You can grab the bleeding-edge tech right now without paying the “early adopter” penalty.
4. “Refurbished” Is Dangerous (Unless You Use My Checklist)
I love refurbished tech. It cuts the fat out of the price tag. But the secondary market is the Wild West.
I’ve heard horror stories from readers who bought “refurbished” phones that turned out to be glorified paperweights with iCloud locks. That isn’t a deal; it’s theft. However, if you stick to certified platforms (like Cashify or recognized resellers), the value is insane.
Case in point: A certified iPhone 13 is sitting at ₹26,949. That is cheap.
But before you pull the trigger, you need to protect yourself. When I buy used, I don’t leave the store (or accept the package) without verifying these six things. Screenshot this.
The “Don’t Get Scammed” Checklist:
- Battery Health: Is it above 80%? If not, walk away.
- Warranty: 6 months minimum. No exceptions.
- Grading: “Fair” is code for “beat up.” Look for “Superb” or “Good.”
- IMEI Match: Check the box against the settings.
- iCloud Status: Ensure it is fully unlocked.
- GST Invoice: If they won’t give you a bill, it’s stolen.
5. The Price Is a Puzzle. Solve It.
Here is the secret nobody tells you: The advertised price is just the opening bid.
Think of it like a game of Tetris. You have these different blocks—bank cards, exchange bonuses, SuperCoins, coupons—and you have to fit them together perfectly to clear the lines (and the price).
I watched a friend buy an iPhone 17 Pro on Amazon yesterday. The listed price was scary (₹1,34,900). But then he started clicking.
- Prime Coupon? Click. (-₹6,500)
- SBI Card? Swipe. (-₹6,420)
Suddenly, he was looking at a price tag that made sense.
The Lesson: Never checkout on the first screen. Dig for the coupons. Check if your old Android phone has a “bonus” exchange value on Flipkart (they often boost the value of rival brands to get you to switch).
The Verdict
So, is this a good time to buy?
It depends on how smart you are willing to be. If you just want to click a button, you are going to overpay for an iPhone 15. But if you are willing to play the game—if you stack those Croma offers or snag that iPhone 17 discount on Flipkart—you can win big.
The deals are there. You just have to be willing to get your hands dirty to find them.
So, are you buying, or are you waiting for October?