Pre-booked in 3 minutes
Moideen Athar Gawai, a Deira resident who works as a sales executive, said he pre-booked two phones at 4.03pm, when the orders began at 4pm on October 16.
“I also received the iPhone 18 Pro Max on its first day, but this is something very new because it is Apple’s foldable phone. I am excited to use it and see what different features Apple has added. The camera clarity also looks very good,” he added.
Not just one Duo, but five
They don’t stop at one! Afsal, a Keralite expatriate residing in Dubai, bought five iPhone Duos.
Photos: First customer in the limelight
Mohammed Shaka, first customer
Launched!
The clock has struck 8am, and iPhone Duo has officially hit UAE stores. The first customer walked in amid applause all-round.
Holding up his generations of devices, Shaka was all smiles as he displayed his Apple legacy to the cheering crowds.
Mohammed Shaka’s generations of iPhones
5 minutes to go!
The iPhone Duo will launch at 8am, and the crowd could not be more thrilled. Take a look at the hype in store today:
One man, 53 Apple devices
Mohammed Shaka, the first in the queue, has 53 Apple devices, he said. While there are foldable phones from other brands already, “I wanted to see what Apple has done with it,” he said.
We are four siblings here, two brothers and two sisters, and we have bought eight devices in total, two each,” said Mohammed Shakaa, who came around 5 am.
This is the third time he has been first in queue for an iPhone launch.
Queues form at Dubai Mall
15 minutes to go
Mohammed Shaka is the first in the queue. The man has a history with iPhone — as is evident with the phones in his hands.
“From generation one to iPhone Duo”, he said, holding up to 6 devices.
Shaka was also the first customer in through the doors of the store for the iPhone 18 pro launch, and the first customer for the iPhone 17 series launch.
Security near Apple store
The Apple Duo launch is an event which UAE malls gear up for in full swing. Security has been deployed at Dubai Mall’s Apple store, ready to guide visitors and ensure everything goes smoothly.
Click, click: Duo in every sense
Slightly wandering away from the iPhone trend of having three cameras, Duo is duo in every sense; it has two screens, and it has two cameras, with no telephoto lens.
The outer screen gets a single 12MP selfie camera, while the inner screen uses an under-display camera, something Samsung used on the Galaxy Z Fold3 to Fold6 before switching back to a punch-hole last year.
Money, money, money!
The prices may be high, but it is no hurdle for UAE residents, who were willing to pay up to Dh2,500 extra to be the first to get their hands on the new device when pre-orders for the iPhone Duo began last week.
It’s what shapes Apple; the fierce loyalty that customers bring, and the race to be the first to own a coveted new phone.
iPhone = lifestyle
The iconic Apple symbol has taken over entire houses, malls, and communities. This is “no normal upgrade” and UAE residents want to be there as the company marks a new era, with a never-before-seen device for the tech giant.
The foldable phone is not new in the market, but it is a first for Apple — something its competitors have not ceased to note. Cue the memes:
Apple’s most expensive phone ever
The highest-priced variant of the Duo could probably get you through a quarter of the year’s rent. Take a look at the UAE prices for Apple’s most expensive iPhone:
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Dh8,499 for 256GB
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Dh9,349 for 512GB
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Dh11,049 for 1TB
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Dh13,599 for 2TB
Hello, Duo
The big day is finally here. After weeks of anticipation, fierce meme battles by competitors, the foldable called Duo will be available for die-hard Apple fans in UAE stores today.
Pre-orders opened on October 16 to much demand, and Apple has announced there will only be ‘limited’ devices available in store, which makes it even more of a fierce race.
Who will be first to get their hands on the phone in the UAE? Will fans arrive from different parts of the world, as they did for the iPhone 18 Pro? Khaleej Times is on the ground to capture it all. Stay tuned!
Source: Khaleej Times