Demand for Apple’s latest iPhone 18 models surged in Dubai on Friday, with some buyers seeking premiums of as much as Dh3,000 just hours after sales opened across the UAE.
Customers who had secured pre-orders were seen lining up outside Apple stores to collect their devices, while resellers waited nearby to purchase newly released handsets from buyers eager to make a quick profit.
At an Apple store in Dubai, shoppers who had already collected their phones were offering them for significantly more than the official retail price. The activity took place as other customers continued to wait in queues to receive their pre-ordered devices.
The iPhone 18 Pro models appeared to be particularly popular among resellers, with the 256GB and 512GB versions attracting strong interest. The new burgundy finish was also reported to be among the most sought-after options.
One seller outside the Apple store at Mall of the Emirates told Khaleej Times that he planned to charge Dh2,000 above the official price for an iPhone 18 Pro 256GB in burgundy.
Two buyers who had successfully secured pre-orders were seeking Dh8,000 for the same 256GB model in the burgundy finish. That represented a premium of about Dh3,000 over its official retail price of Dh5,099.
Another seller was offering an iPhone 18 Pro 256GB for Dh5,600, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB was priced at Dh6,500.
Apple’s official UAE pricing starts at Dh5,099 for the iPhone 18 Pro with 256GB of storage, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max begins at Dh5,499. Customers can choose storage capacities of up to 2TB, with prices rising to Dh10,199 for the Pro and Dh10,599 for the Pro Max.
The company is also offering a trade-in programme that provides customers with credit toward a new iPhone. Depending on the model and condition of the device being exchanged, the trade-in value ranges from Dh160 to Dh3,260.
The strong demand follows heightened interest during the pre-order period, which began the previous Saturday. Retailers had told Khaleej Times that some customers were prepared to pay premiums of up to Dh1,500 to obtain the new models early.
The burgundy finish had already emerged as a popular choice before the official sales launch, contributing to demand for specific configurations.
Industry sources said premiums for newly launched iPhones generally decline during the first few days as additional supplies become available. The availability of more devices is expected to reduce the gap between official retail prices and the amounts sought by resellers.
