India catches iPhone 18 fever as launch-day frenzy sweeps Apple stores nationwide

Apple fandom was on full display across Indian cities on Friday as the iPhone 18 Pro series went on sale, with long queues and celebratory scenes unfolding at stores from Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru and Noida.

The India sales debut came just over a week after Apple unveiled its latest smartphone lineup at its September 9 keynote, with pre-bookings opening on September 12 across 65 countries, including India, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France and Germany.

Also read: Once bitten, never shy: India’s Apple iPhone obsession grows and grows


Premium pricing, four colours

"iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage capacities. Available in burgundy, glacier, silver, and black, iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 and iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900," the company had said earlier.

Customers queue for hours

A Delhi customer said he had booked the iPhone 18 Pro Max along with an Apple Watch to upgrade from his iPhone 15 Plus. "I wanted to upgrade from the 15 Plus, and the new model comes with several upgraded features and better performance. That was the main reason I decided to go for it," he said.

Another Delhi buyer, Mannat Singh, said the burgundy colour, the new A20 chip, AI capabilities and camera features drew him to the Pro Max, adding that Apple's brand appeal was also a factor. "...it is quite good for showing off because it has three cameras, and on top of that, of course, Apple is a big brand," he said.

A customer named Honey said he had pre-booked the 512GB burgundy iPhone 18 Pro at the first available slot as soon as bookings opened. "I bought the iPhone 18 pro with 512 GB of storage in the burgundy colour. It was launched on the 9th of this month, so I had been waiting for it since then. The pre-booking started on the September 12th at 5:30 in the evening, so I pre-booked it at that time. The very first slot was at 8:15, and I booked that slot. And now I have finally bought it," he said.


Also read: Apple iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12 sales start in India: Check prices, features and availability

At Apple's store in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex, a buyer who had travelled from Surat camped outside for hours to be the first to walk away with the new phone. "I've got the first phone. I'm really excited. My goal was 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. I'm absolutely thrilled about it," he said, as staff cheered when the doors opened.

Record India performance

The launch comes on the back of record growth for Apple in India, with the company's revenue estimated to have crossed USD 10 billion in FY26, close to the Rs 1 lakh crore mark in rupee terms, powered by an all-time high in iPhone shipments. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple's iPhone shipments in India rose 24 per cent year-on-year to 14 million units in FY26, with the iPhone continuing to account for the lion's share of the company's India revenue.

What's next

Apple has also entered the foldable smartphone category with the iPhone Duo, which will be available in India from October 23 in a price range of Rs 2,99,900 for the 256GB variant to Rs 4,49,900 for the 2TB variant, marking the company's most expensive device to date.

The launches come ahead of India's festive shopping season, a period when smartphone makers typically ramp up promotions and financing offers to tap upbeat consumer sentiment.

(With inputs from PTI)