{
  "id": 8225200,
  "title": "Why Indians queued overnight for iPhone 18 despite minutes-long delivery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/why-indians-queued-overnight-for-iphone-18-despite-minutes-long",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-18T08:49:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/business/why-indians-queued-overnight-for-iphone-18-despite-minutes-long-delivery-1.500679304"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max hit the shelves in India on September 18, 2026, drawing long lines outside Apple Stores in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Noida, and Bengaluru. Some eager buyers arrived hours before the 8 am opening, reportedly waiting the entire night to be among the first owners of the new devices. Despite the option to purchase the phones online and have them delivered, the pre-sale frenzy continued. Apple began taking pre-orders for the Pro models on September 12, with sales kicking off at 8 am on the launch day. India was an early adopter of the new iPhones, joining other markets in receiving the devices. This contrast with other quick-commerce companies, such as BigBasket, Blinkit, and Zepto, who also offered the new iPhones for doorstep delivery. The allure of being among the first to experience the launch event and receive the device directly from an Apple Store seemed to outweigh the convenience of home delivery for many Apple devotees. The price tags for the new models started at Rs 1,64,900 for the iPhone 18 Pro and Rs 1,79,900 for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, with the top 2TB Pro Max model reaching Rs 3,29,900. The new Pro models boasted Apple’s A20 Pro chip, a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, enhanced battery life, and advanced AI capabilities through iOS 27. The burgundy finish was exclusive to the Pro Max model.",
  "summary": "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…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}