iPhone 18 came; Should we buy iPhone 17 or 18? Price comparison in Iranian market, Mehr 1405

iPhone 18 reached the Iranian market and buyers are faced with a new question: should they buy the new generation or the iPhone 17, which dozens of sellers are competing to sell? Examining the prices of Mehr 1405 shows that the gap between two generations depends more than anything on whether the phone is active or inactive.

With the arrival of iPhone 18 in the Iranian market, iPhone buyers are faced with a new question: should they buy the new generation or the iPhone 17, which dozens of sellers are now competing to sell? Checking the prices collected from online stores in Mehr 1405 shows that the gap between two generations in the first days of release is very large, and a large part of the price difference of each model is not the high price, but the differences that are not written on the price tag: activeness, capacity, region and registry.

iPhone 18 in the Iranian market: what arrived and how much?

Pro and Pro Max versions of iPhone 18 are currently available in the Iranian market, and each model is only sold by one or two sellers. The interesting thing about the prices recorded in Mehr 1405 on the price comparison platform is that the difference between the two generations depends on the condition of the phone: the iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB active was less than 10% more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro Max Active with the same capacity, but in the non-active version, this difference reached nearly 50%. That is, the comparison of two generations only makes sense when the condition of both phones is the same.

This interval should be read with caution. In the first weeks of each generation's release, goods are imported from limited and high-cost channels, and because there are few sellers, there is no competition to lower the price. As the number of sellers increases, this right to be "first" usually diminishes. Someone who is not in a hurry, by following the iPhone 18 Pro Max price page, you can see how the number of sellers and the lowest price change from week to week.

iPhone 17: Now with more competition

On the other hand, the iPhone 17 Pro Max was offered by 57 stores and the basic iPhone 17 by 28 stores in the same Mehr 1405. This number of sellers means real competition on price, and for the buyer who does not need a new generation camera and chip, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is a more economical choice. The iPhone 17 Pro Max price page shows all capacities and conditions with the lowest price of each and the number of sellers in one table.

Active or Inactive: The biggest price gap in a model

"Not active" means that the phone has not been activated yet and Apple's international warranty starts from the day you turn it on; "Active" means that the device has already been activated and part of its warranty has expired. However, in the Iranian market, the Active is more expensive: the cheapest iPhone 17 Pro Max 256 GB Active was about 33% more expensive than the cheapest version of the Active in Mehr 1405. The main reason is the entry route: some phones are activated to bypass import and registry restrictions, and this process adds cost to the price. Before buying, ask why the phone is active and how long the warranty is valid.

Capacity: Which step is worth paying for?

Practical result: the 256 GB to 512 GB step is the cheapest upgrade of the whole family; Above that, each additional gigabyte costs significantly more.

Region and registry: more important than ever in iPhone 18

Region: The final letters of the model code indicate which market the device is made for. In the iPhone 18 released in Iran, both single-SIM versions with eSIM and physical dual-SIM versions (such as Region CH) can be seen. For someone who has two Iranian SIM cards, this difference is decisive.

Registry: The registered phone is registered in the peer system and works without restrictions with an Iranian SIM card. The unregistered phone is cheaper, but it may lose its antenna after some time and the registration fee will be added to the price later.

Warranty: Apple's international warranty, domestic corporate warranty and store warranty are three different things; A lower price with a weaker warranty isn't really cheaper.

In the 17th generation, the cheapest iPhone 17 Pro was only about 7% lower than the cheapest Pro Max in Mehr 1405; This means that a larger screen and a stronger battery are available at a lower cost. The basic iPhone 17 was about 40% cheaper than the cheapest Pro, and for someone who does not have a professional camera and a 120 Hz display, it is the most economical choice in the entire iPhone market.

Specify exactly the generation, model, capacity and active or inactive status; Comparing two phones with different conditions is not a correct comparison.

Adjust the region and the number of SIM cards according to your needs.

Ask the status of the registry and, if possible, query the IMEI ID in the peer system.

Compare prices across multiple stores, with updated dates.

Check the seller's credibility, trust symbol and return terms.

The numbers of this report are obtained from the prices that were recorded on the 22nd and 23rd of Mehr 1405 from the website of online stores in the price comparison pages. In each comparison, the cheapest offer of each model with the same capacity and condition is put together. Because the price of mobile phones in the Iranian market changes daily, the differences are in percentages, not in Tomans; The daily price of each model should be checked again at the time of purchase.

If the new generation camera and chip are not critical for you, the iPhone 17 Pro Max in October 1405 — especially in the inactive version — was a more economical choice with dozens of vendors competing. If you want an iPhone 18, it's usually in the buyer's best interest to wait a few weeks for the sellers to fill up.

Why is iPhone 18 so expensive in Iran?

In the first weeks of the launch, goods are imported from limited routes and the number of sellers is small; This distance usually decreases with time.

Should I buy an active or non-active iPhone?

Natactive has a more complete warranty and is usually cheaper in the current market. Buy Active only knowing the reason for activation and the warranty expiration date.