iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max go on sale: Apple Stores see long queues across India

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have officially gone on sale in India, but for some buyers, getting the latest iPhone meant arriving hours before the shops opened.

Apple Stores across the country saw crowds early Friday, with customers queuing up in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Some buyers arrived in the early hours of the morning, while others spent the entire night waiting. The rush highlights the continued excitement around Apple’s latest Pro models, particularly among customers who upgrade their iPhones every year.

Buyers arrive hours before Apple Stores open

At the Apple Store in Select Citywalk Mall, Saket, Delhi, a rush of customers gathered early in the morning.

Huge crowds were also seen outside Apple’s Jio World Drive store in Mumbai. In Bengaluru, buyers began arriving well before the store opened. Rahul, who reached the Bengaluru store at around 5am, said he found people travelling from Haryana, Delhi and Mumbai to buy the new iPhone. For him, an iPhone launch has become an annual tradition. “I've been purchasing iPhones for a very long time. I remember my first iPhone was an iPhone 7,” he said, describing the launch as “like a festival”.

One buyer travelled from Nashik

In Mumbai, Hitesh Patel said he travelled from Nashik and started queuing at around 10pm the previous night. He had secured the first 8am slot and planned to collect his new phone once the store began processing customers. Patel said he currently uses an iPhone 17 Pro Max and upgrades his phone every year. His next device will be the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Another customer said they had spent the entire night outside the store, adding that the excitement remained high even without a barcode.

What are buyers expecting from the iPhone 18 Pro?

Some customers were particularly interested in the iPhone 18 Pro Max 1TB.

Ajay, who had already pre-booked the model, said he wanted to be among the first customers to receive it. He is currently using an iPhone 17 Pro. Tech YouTuber Suraj Chauhan was also waiting to buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max. He said he was particularly interested in improvements to the phone’s camera and overall quality. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are available through Apple’s online store and six retail outlets in India. On launch day, Apple’s physical stores opened at 8am and are scheduled to remain open until 10pm. For many buyers, however, the launch was not simply about purchasing a new smartphone. The overnight queues showed how Apple’s annual iPhone launch continues to be an event in itself for its most loyal customers.