New Delhi, Sep 18: Apple’s latest iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max went on sale in India on friday, drawing enthusiastic crowds and long queues outside Apple Stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Noida. Some customers arrived in the early hours of the morning, while others reportedly waited overnight to be among the first buyers.
At Apple stores in Bengaluru and Mumbai, customers travelled from other cities and states to experience the launch-day excitement. One Bengaluru buyer described the annual iPhone launch as a “festival,” highlighting the strong following surrounding Apple’s flagship releases.
In a striking example of the enthusiasm surrounding the launch, a Delhi man sold gold to buy an iPhone 18 Pro for his wife. He said he wanted to gift her the Burgundy-coloured model, despite her not previously being an iPhone user.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900 in India. Despite the premium pricing, customers lined up hours before stores opened, with many upgrading from previous-generation iPhones.
The launch has also become a talking point on social media, with pictures and videos of the queues going viral. Memes and humorous posts have compared the enthusiasm to a festival, while others have questioned why customers are willing to wait for hours when the phones can also be ordered online or through quick-commerce platforms.
The first-day queues once again underline the strong consumer interest and launch-day culture surrounding Apple’s iPhone in India.
