iPhone 18 Sale Begins In India: "It's Like A Festival For Me"

Apple's newest iPhones - the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max - went on sale today, drawing large crowds at Apple stores across India as buyers lined up to be among the first to get their hands on the new phones. Apple unveiled the new lineup at its 'Surprise and Shine' event on September 9. The latest Pro models are available through Apple's online store and six retail outlets across the country. The company has substantially increased the price of the new iPhones, but that has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of iPhone buyers.

A man who bought the new iPhone 18 Pro Max at Mumbai's BKC told NDTV that he had pre-booked the device on Saturday and drove from Nashik to collect it from the Apple store.

"I already have an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I bought the latest one today because of Apple's latest iOS 27, the AI features and the improvement in camera. These have become better than the 17 Pro Max," the buyer said.

He also expressed interest in buying the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable phone, which will be available from next month. Another Apple enthusiast said iPhone users know that whether there is something new in the phone or not, getting the new phone on the first day matters.

People queue up to buy the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
Photo Credit: PTI

At Apple Store in Noida, a man bought three iPhone 18 Pro Max phones, with each costing Rs 1.73 lakh after cashback.

"I've been here since around five o'clock in the morning. There was a long queue. I've been purchasing iPhones for a very long time. I remember my first iPhone was an iPhone 7. Since then, I've been continuously buying iPhones. It's like a festival for me. Every year, I try to buy an iPhone," said a man in Bengaluru.

On launch day, physical Apple Stores opened early at 8 am and will remain open until 10 pm.

"I bought two iPhone 18 Pro Max. I came from Punjab and have been standing in the queue since 6 AM. Mine was the very first booking; I am the first one who has got the phone," a man told news agency ANI after buying the phones at DLF Mall of India in Noida.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max come in black, silver, glacier and a new burgundy finish. The phones feature a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture and new Pro camera controls. They are powered by Apple's A20 Pro chip and a new vapour chamber aimed at improving performance, AI features and battery life.

Apple launched the iPhone 18 in Burgundy colour too
Photo Credit: PTI

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 for the 256GB model, while the 512GB, 1TB and 2TB variants are priced at Rs 1,89,900, Rs 2,39,900 and Rs 3,14,900, respectively.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900 for the 256GB variant. Its 512GB, 1TB and 2TB variants are priced at Rs 2,04,900, Rs 2,54,900 and Rs 3,29,900, respectively.