Hundreds of eager iPhone customers queued up at Dubai Mall on Friday morning to await the release of the latest models.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale on Friday. The Apple Store in Dubai Mall opened two hours earlier than usual to accommodate the crowd who placed orders in advance.
But for many of those in the queue, it was not simply about buying a new phone. It was also about the bragging rights of being among the first in the region to get hold of one, with the new models available in burgundy.
The first customer through the door was Dubai resident Mohammad Shaka. He told The National it was his "destiny" to get a new phone on launch day.
"I would like to thank my friends and Allah as well. It's my destiny," he said. "I buy all the iPhones. Next month they launch the new Duo folding mobile. It's going to be the best. We're very excited."
Indian student Hasti Dolwani joined the queue at 5.30am, more than two hours before the shop opened its doors at exactly 7.59am. He had been using a Samsung foldable phone – but he switched to Apple, buying two iPhones on Friday. "The iPhone is back again," he said.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Dh5,099 ($1,388) while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Dh5,499. People who ordered the models before the launch were given allotted times to collect them on Friday. But many showed up early to browse other devices.
"There's a long queue and I had to come early because I know the hype [around iPhones]," said Pakistani citizen Hamza. "The hype is around the burgundy phone. Every time a phone comes out in a new colour, it becomes a trend. Why not follow the trend?"
