People formed long queues outside Apple stores in Delhi-NCR and other parts of the country on Friday as the tech giant’s new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models went on general sale in India.
Some people even crossed state lines to stand for hours in these lines. The sale of the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max began at 8:00 AM on Friday for both general store purchases and pre-order deliveries. A buyer from Punjab told the news agency ANI that he had been standing in the queue in Noida since 6 am.
Several videos showed enthusiastic buyers lining up outside Apple stores in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai, Bengaluru and other major cities hours before the launch.
“It is just a phone… rest we will use it and know how it performs. It saw a massive surge in traffic and pre-order volume across India. For the first time, India-manufactured Pro and Pro Max models are available on launch day, reflecting a major shift in local production by Foxconn and the Tata Group. The phones are available directly through Apple’s official online store and flagship retail locations, as well as major retail electronics chains.
I just need to upgrade from my (iPhone) 15 Plus. It (iPhone 18) has many upgraded features and performance,” he said. “With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. The VP continued, “iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹ 164900 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max is priced at ₹ 179900, according to the Apple website. Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max began on Saturday, September 12.
The pro lineup has “the most advanced camera in an iPhone, incredible battery life, next‑level performance, and Siri AI, according to Apple. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas — we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
Mine was the very first booking. “I bought two iPhone 18 Pro Max. I came from Punjab and have been standing in the queue since 6 AM.
I am the first one who has got the phone,” he said, adding that he came specially to buy the device. Another customer in a line in Delhi’s Saket said he needed to upgrade his old iPhone.
