iPhone fever: Dubai’s biggest sale-day rushes over the years

Dubai’s iPhone launches have long sparked overnight queues outside Apple’s flagship stores

Last updated:
Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor
The first set of customers enter the Apple Store at Dubai Mall to buy the new iPhone in 2025.
The first set of customers enter the Apple Store at Dubai Mall to buy the new iPhone in 2025.

Dubai: Apple unveiled its biggest product lineup of the year at its September 9 “Surprise and Shine” event, led by the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. The device opens into a 7.6-inch display and starts at Dh8,499 in the UAE. Pre-orders begin at 4pm on October 16, with the phone available in the UAE from October 23.

Apple also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, featuring a new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, along with Apple Watch Series 12, Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.

Look back at the year in pictures as Apple’s latest launch adds another chapter to the iPhone story.

Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 27 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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