iPhone 17 and Air pre-order in UAE: First buyer at Dubai Mall

The first customer in line for the iPhone 17 launch at Dubai Mall this morning was Mohammad Shaka, a Pakistani national and UAE resident, who arrived at 6am to secure his place.

“I wasn’t expecting to be the number one person. It is my dream to be the first buyer of the new iPhone,” he told Gulf News. “I’m going to be buying the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the orange colour. Honestly, I’m choosing this over the Air because I’m more familiar with the size.”

Security at Dubai Mall has been managing the crowds by allowing groups of customers to queue outside the Apple Store in stages. Lines formed early in the day, though the numbers were smaller compared to previous years due to Apple’s pre-order system and had to pay in advance for the orders.

Several of the first customers in line had their eyes set on the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, particularly the much-anticipated cosmic orange colour. Another UAE resident, also among the first few to queue, said: “I’m here almost every few years for the launch. I’m going after the Pro Max because the battery is supposed to be much better than previous models.”

While the iPhone 17 Air was one of Apple’s most talked-about new releases, early buyers at Dubai Mall appeared more focused on the Pro Max. “For me, the battery and camera doesn’t appeal to me,” one customer said of the Air.

The iPhone 17 Pro starts at Dh4,699, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max is priced from Dh5,099 in the UAE.

The launch of Apple’s latest devices turned into a celebration this morning as the first customers stepped inside the Apple Store to cheers and applause from staff. Excited buyers wasted no time securing the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, with the striking cosmic orange model emerging as the clear favourite.

One early customer shared his excitement after making a big purchase: “I’ve bought two iPhone 17 Pro Max devices and an iPhone Air in silver, titanium, and orange—for me and my family. I can’t wait to get home and unbox them.”

Among the first through the doors was Muhammad Adil from Pakistan, who proudly walked away with the orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. “The first thing I’m going to do is definitely test out the camera,” he said. “That’s the feature I’m most excited about.”