“iPhone launch is like a festival”: Buyers queue up as iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max go on sale

Sep 18, 2026

New Delhi [India], September 18 : A customer described the iPhone launch as a “festival” as buyers gathered in large numbers at Apple Stores across India to purchase the newly launched iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale across India on Friday, drawing eager customers to Apple Stores in Noida, Bengaluru and Maharashtra as buyers lined up to get their hands on the latest devices.
A customer from Bengaluru, Rahul, who has been buying iPhones since the iPhone 7, said he arrived at around 5 am and described the annual iPhone launch as a “festival”.

"I've been here since around five o'clock in the morning. There was a long queue. People from Haryana, Delhi, and Mumbai are here just to buy the iPhone. 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... I'm expecting a phone. But it's like a festival for me. iPhone launch is like a festival. Every year, I try to buy an iPhone,” he said.
In Noida, customers thronged the Apple Store at DLF Mall as the official sale of the new iPhone models began.
A buyer who travelled from Punjab said he had been waiting in the queue since 6 am and managed to get the first iPhone 18 Pro Max after making the earliest booking.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "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 Bengaluru customer who upgraded from an iPhone 13 said the new device was worth the upgrade, citing its features and adding that he was able to collect it within five minutes. 

"...I was using the iPhone 13 before, so it is worth the upgrade. There are a lot of features, and I am feeling good about it, as I could collect it in only 5 minutes,” he said. 
In Maharashtra, another customer who managed to get the first phone said, "I’ve got the first phone. I’m really excited. I was trying to get the first one; I’d been waiting here for about 10 to 12 hours for this. Finally, the first phone is in my hands..."

The latest Pro models are available through Apple’s online store and six retail outlets across the country. On launch day, physical Apple Stores are opening early at 8 am and will remain open until 10 pm, allowing customers to purchase the new iPhones from the morning itself.
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.
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.

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