Thousands of shoppers crowded the Dubai Mall in Dubai, eager to purchase the new iPhone model, according to the local press. The Khaleej Times reported that data crews gathered around the Apple Store as the doors prepared to open, with security staff setting up barriers to manage the growing crowd.
Videos circulated on the Telegram channel showing some buyers in line clashing as the entry window approached. The footage depicted pushes and shoves among customers while guards intervened to calm the scene.
One buyer identified as Denis told socialbites.ca that entry to the Apple Store in Dubai Mall was possible only by appointment. He explained that Apple itself does not stock devices inside the shop; customers are admitted in a pre-arranged order. He noted that adjacent stores carried price labels and accessory bundles, and that the overall price list made it difficult to find anything in Dubai Mall, including watches. He added that if the financial considerations are ignored, almost anything could be purchased there.
The same source quoted Denis saying he managed to buy a smartphone, although the original customer reportedly declined. He claimed to have purchased an iPhone 15 Pro from the E-Max store after some refusals, paying 1610 dirhams for 128GB and an additional two thousand dirhams for the phone. He described the activation as forceful and noted that the staff were more accommodating only after receiving payment, with tax-free processing taking longer and sometimes being reluctant.
Denis also mentioned that the phones were sold with an applied warranty from the retailer rather than from Apple itself.
in other countries
Queues formed across India and China as well for the new iPhone. Hindustan Times reported long lines in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex business district and in New Delhi’s Saket district, with many people arriving before stores opened. One customer claimed to have waited outside since four in the morning.
More than a hundred people gathered outside the Apple flagship store in Shanghai, according to Reuters. The report noted that lineups began around five in the morning, and that the new iPhones sold out within a minute on Alibaba’s Tmall platform. Pre-orders from China were so substantial that deliveries were expected by November.
Similar scenes were observed in Singapore, where some Apple enthusiasts waited outside stores since the previous day, as reported by Straits Times.
iPhone in Russia
Russia received the iPhone 15 on September 21, a day before the global sales launch, according to iPhones.ru. Official sales began on September 23, when Russians could collect devices purchased through pre-orders. Technical experts were planned to test the device lineup to ensure proper operation within the Russian Federation, the portal noted.
Apple introduced the new iPhone lineup on September 12, revealing the four models: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. New watches were also shown, including the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
In Russia, retailers named socialbites.ca listed prices for the new devices. The iPhone 15 started at 130,000 rubles in the M.Video-Eldorado network, with the 15 Plus from 140,000 rubles, the 15 Pro from 160,000 rubles, and the 15 Pro Max from 195,000 rubles. MTS pricing showed the iPhone 15 from 124,000 rubles, the 15 Plus from 140,000 rubles, the 15 Pro from 155,000 rubles, and the 15 Pro Max from 190,000 rubles.