Why Indians queued overnight for iPhone 18 despite minutes-long delivery

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale in India on Friday, September 18, drawing long queues outside Apple Stores in Mumbai, Delhi, Noida, Bengaluru and other cities.

Some customers arrived hours before stores opened, with reports of buyers waiting overnight to be among the first to get their hands on the new models. The launch-day crowds came despite customers having several options to order the phones online and have them delivered to their homes.

Apple opened pre-orders for the two Pro models on September 12, with sales in India beginning at 8 am on September 18. India was among the first group of markets to receive the new iPhones.

The contrast was particularly striking because quick-commerce companies had also entered the iPhone launch rush. BigBasket said it had delivered more than 300 iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max units by 9 am on Friday — equivalent to more than five phones a minute after sales began.

Blinkit and Zepto also offered the latest iPhones through their platforms, allowing customers in eligible locations to receive the devices at their doorstep without having to join queues.

So why did buyers still wait outside stores?

For many Apple enthusiasts, launch day was about more than simply receiving a phone. Being among the first customers, experiencing the store launch, and getting the device directly from an Apple Store have become part of the annual iPhone release ritual. Reports from this year’s launch showed that customers travelled from other parts of India and arrived early to secure their phones.

The iPhone 18 Pro started at Rs 1,64,900 in India, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max started at Rs 1,79,900. The top 2TB Pro Max model was priced at Rs 3,29,900.

The new Pro models featured Apple’s A20 Pro chip, a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, upgraded battery performance and new AI capabilities through iOS 27. The Pro Max was also available in a new burgundy finish.