iPhone 18 launch draws long queues at Apple stores across India

Apple began India sales of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on September 18, with customers queuing up to 10–12 hours at stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Noida. The Pro starts at ₹164,900, with cashback, EMI and trade-in offers supporting premium-device demand.

— Source publishedFri, 18 Sept, 2026, 11:39 IST·First seen Fri, 18 Sept, 2026, 12:11 IST·Source Business Standard · Companies

What happened

Apple began official India sales of iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on September 18, drawing queues at stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Noida. Premium models

Key facts

  • iPhone 18 Pro starts at ₹164,900 for 256GB
  • iPhone 18 Pro pricing: ₹189,900 (512GB), ₹239,900 (1TB), ₹314,900 (2TB)
  • iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹179,900 for 256GB
  • iPhone 18 Pro Max pricing: ₹204,900 (512GB), ₹254,900 (1TB), ₹329,900 (2TB)
  • Pre-orders began September 12
  • Official India sales began at 8 am on September 18, 2026
  • Customers queued up to 10-12 hours before opening

Why this matters

India’s appetite for flagship iPhones reinforces the strategic value of expanding Apple retail, financing and trade-in partnerships in key metro markets.

What to watch

  • Weekend sell-through versus store footfall and queue length; sustained conversion matters more than launch-day crowds.
  • Delivery estimates and stock-outs by city, model, color and storage tier.
  • Share of transactions using EMI, cashback and trade-in schemes versus full-payment purchases.
  • Average basket size, including cases, AirPods, AppleCare and other accessories.
  • Online versus physical-channel pricing gaps and grey-market resale premiums.
  • Premium Android promotional intensity and its impact on exchange values.
  • Festive-season demand in October-November and whether iPhone 18 demand displaces or expands premium smartphone spending.
  • Increase staffing, demo capacity and appointment management at Apple Stores and premium resellers for the first two weekends after launch.
  • Prioritize inventory allocation toward Pro/Pro Max configurations with the strongest waitlist activity, while tracking cancellations caused by delivery delays.
  • Bundle accessories, AppleCare and upgrade financing at point of sale to monetize high-intent footfall rather than relying only on handset margin.
  • Use trade-in offers to capture older premium iPhones for refurbishment or resale, reducing the effective upgrade price for aspirational buyers.
  • Monitor competitor promotional responses, especially premium Android exchange offers during the festive-shopping period.