The iPhone 18 Pro went on sale in India on Friday, drawing crowds and long queues outside Apple Stores as buyers rushed to get their hands on the latest iPhone models.

Among those waiting was a Delhi man who said he had sold gold to buy an iPhone 18 Pro for his wife. Other buyers had travelled from Punjab and Haryana, while some customers said they had taken leave from work to purchase the new iPhone on launch day.

Delhi Man Sells Gold For Wife’s iPhone

Before the Apple Store opened at 8 am, a long queue had formed outside DLF Mall of India. At the front was a man from Delhi who said he had come to buy an iPhone 18 Pro for his wife.

“Main ye wife ke liye lene aaya hun ( I am buying the iPhone 18 Pro for my wife),” he said.

His wife had specifically asked for the iPhone 18 Pro in Burgundy, he said. She was not previously an iPhone user, and he wanted to give her the new device as an upgrade.

Asked why he had chosen to buy the iPhone 18 Pro now, he said, “Aaj paisa hai, pehle nahi tha, aage hoga nahi hoga, bas aaj main jee rahe hai (at that time, I didn’t have that money, now I do, In the coming time, whether we will have money or not, we’ll see.)”

The buyer also revealed how he had arranged the money for the purchase.

“Gold bechke he toh ye lene aaye hai. (I sold gold to buy the iPhone 18 Pro).”

Even after the store opened, buyers continued to queue outside while waiting for their turn to enter and purchase the new phones.

Punjab Man Travels To Noida For Fiancée’s Gift

For some buyers, the new iPhone was also a gift for a partner. Gurdita Singh travelled from Punjab to Noida with a friend to buy the iPhone 18 Pro for his fiancée.

His friend explained why Gurdita had made the trip.

“He is getting married soon, he is buying the iPhone 18 Pro as a gift for his fianc.”

The two men had been waiting outside the store since 6 am. Gurdita eventually bought two iPhones, including an iPhone 18 Pro Max for himself.

He said he had spent more than Rs 3.5 lakh on the two phones. After completing the purchase, he planned to return to Punjab, with his train scheduled for 11 am.

Buyers Unfazed By Higher iPhone Prices

A couple also visited the Noida Apple Store to purchase two iPhone 18 Pro devices. They had pre-booked the phones on September 12.

Asked about the higher price of the iPhone 18 Pro compared with last year’s model, the woman said buyers who specifically wanted an iPhone would continue to pay the higher price.

“The price has increased but the iPhone lovers or those who want an iPhone will pay the higher price.”

The couple also planned to purchase the iPhone Duo. However, they said a friend in Hong Kong would buy the device for them and bring it back when returning in October.

“A friend is in Hong Kong, he will bring it on his way back in October,” the woman said.

Vishal, a buyer from Haryana, also spoke about the increase in prices. He said he was not particularly concerned even if the cost of iPhones continued to rise.

“Koi dikkat nahi, manage karlenge (No problem, I will manage),” he said.

Students, Professionals Join Launch-Day Queues

The queues outside the Apple Store included students, businesspersons and employees, with some customers saying they had taken leave from work specifically to purchase the iPhone 18 Pro on launch day.

The store remained crowded as buyers collected their new devices, while others continued waiting outside for their turn.

However, not everyone in the queue was able to make a purchase. Customers who had not pre-ordered the iPhone 18 Pro were not allowed to enter the store to buy the device on Friday.

One such customer said he had not realised that pre-booking was required.

“Hume pata nahi tha, ab dekhte hai paise denge ghusne ke liye (I didn’t know we had to pre-order, now I might try giving money).”

The launch-day scenes in Noida reflected the strong demand for the latest iPhone Pro models, with buyers willing to queue for hours, travel between states and, in one case, sell gold to fund the purchase.

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