‘Sabse pahele lena humnein hai’: Apple iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max sparks pre-dawn rush in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale in India on September 18, with customers gathering outside Apple stores in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to get their hands on the new flagship models.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max officially went on sale in India on Friday, September 18, drawing Apple fans to stores in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Pre-orders for the latest Pro models began on September 12.

At the Apple Store inside Select Citywalk Mall in Delhi’s Saket, customers began arriving early in the morning, with some waiting outside the mall before sunrise to be among the first to collect their new devices.

Apple fans gather in Delhi

Speaking to ANI, one customer said he had pre-ordered the iPhone 18 Pro Max and was waiting outside the store despite the queue. He was confident that he would be the first to collect the device.

“Sabse pahele lena humnein hai [I will be the first to buy it].”

The customer said he had opted for the 1TB variant of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and had already completed the pre-booking.

“I've come for the 18 Pro Max 1TB. I’ve already pre-booked it; I’m just waiting here. There’s quite a crowd. But I want to be the first to get it... Right now, I’m using the 17 Pro; let’s see what features they’ve introduced in the 18 Pro.”

A video shared by ANI showed several people gathered outside Select Citywalk Mall early in the morning ahead of the sales launch. The footage showed customers sitting on chairs outside the Apple Store while it was still dark.

“A throng of people starts gathering outside the Apple Store at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket early in the morning ahead of the highly anticipated sales launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.”

iPhone 18 Pro launch draws Mumbai, Bengaluru crowds

The launch-day rush was not limited to Delhi. Customers also gathered outside Jio World Drive in Mumbai and Bengaluru's Imagine Apple premium reseller store at the Mall of Asia to purchase the newly launched iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The scenes from both cities come as Apple begins retail sales of its latest Pro lineup in India following the start of pre-orders earlier this month.

iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max features

According to Apple, the Pro lineup comes with “the most advanced camera in an iPhone, incredible battery life, next-level performance, and Siri AI.”

“With iPhone 18 Pro, we’ve made advancements to the areas our users care about most: camera, performance, battery, and intelligence. And we didn’t just make incremental improvements in these areas — we took huge leaps forward to create the best Pro iPhone we’ve ever made,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

The VP continued, “iPhone 18 Pro makes it easy for anyone to capture stunning photos and videos using variable aperture, while providing more versatility for creators and more control for pros. Paired with impactful upgrades to Photographic Styles and powerful video capabilities, iPhone 18 Pro unlocks entirely new ways for users to express themselves.”

iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max price in India

According to Apple’s website, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹1,64,900 in India, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max is priced at ₹1,79,900.

The new models are now available for purchase in India following the September 18 sales launch.

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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