Apple enthusiasts descended on Dubai Mall in force on Friday as the iPhone 18 Pro series went on sale across the UAE, with queues forming before dawn.
For 13-year-old Indian expat Hamdan Imran, the day was worth skipping school for. He accompanied his uncle Fazlur Rahman to collect five devices for the family. “I was so excited,” he said. The family has been buying iPhones on launch day for six years. “On the day of pre-booking, I spent half an hour on five different phones to ensure I got it on the first day,” said Fazlur.
Some people started lining up as early as 5:45am to ensure that they were the first ones to get the phone. At 8am on the dot, the Apple store staff lined up on either side of the door and welcomed customers with cheers and applause.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The first customer in through the doors of the store was Mohammed Shaka, who was also the first customer last year when the iPhone 17 series launched. “Today, I am buying two phones,” he said. “One for my wife and one for me. I arrived early to make sure that I was the first one to get the phone.”
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max represent Apple’s most significant upgrade in years, featuring the new A20 Pro chip built on a 2-nanometer process, a 48MP main camera with variable aperture for the first time, and what Apple calls its biggest leap in battery life. The Pro starts at Dh5,099 while the Pro Max begins at Dh5,499, with prices reaching Dh10,599 for the 2TB model.
Tourists flying in
Some customers timed their Dubai visit to coincide with the launch. Russian citizens Saiful Islam and Ive Sultana Molly came to Dubai just for three days and bought four devices for themselves and their two sons. “Our son studies in Dubai and I have business here so we keep traveling between the two countries,” said Saiful. “But this time we came specifically for the iPhone. My son booked the devices, but he had to go for classes, so we came to pick it up.”
The couple will return to Moscow on Friday night and Saiful said he will be one of the first in the country to have the new device. “Since Russia imports the iPhone, it will be a couple of days before it becomes available in the market there,” he said.
For some, the device was a special gift. Pakistani expat Mohammed Waris was delighted to get his hands on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, saying that the device was a surprise gift for his wife who is due to give birth on September 30. “She thinks I have gone to work but I came to pick up this phone for her,” he said. “I want to surprise her with it. She is at home with my daughter. We are eagerly awaiting our second baby in the next 15 days and I just wanted to make her happy.”
Elusive first spot
For Dubai resident Sadaf, the opportunity of buying a new iPhone during the first slot has remained elusive. “We have been buying on the first day for several years, but I still have not cracked the code of getting the first slot,” she said. “This year we got the 8:30am pickup. Now we are thinking of buying the iPhone Duo as well. Maybe then I might get the first slot.”
The Pakistani expat came with her brother’s wife Hafsa and her two-year-old niece to pick up three devices — one for each of them.
The occasion was not special just for the buyers. For Apple store employee Jahnvi, this was the second launch event that she has been a part of and she was grateful. “For more than a year, I would pass by the Apple store, and I would manifest being able to work here,” she said. “In August I completed one year of working here and I love it. Seeing the joy on people’s faces when they buy the devices is what truly makes my day.”
She added that the employees worked tirelessly to make the occasion a smooth one. “We had briefings all of last week on how to make it a special experience for our customers and how the crowds would be managed,” she said. “For us, it might be the 100th phone we are selling but for many it might be the first phone they are buying. So our focus is always make it memorable for each customer. Today I had one of my first buyers last year come back this year and it felt like a reunion. We have had a mix of personal buyers as well as resellers.”
Source: Khaleej Times