On Friday, September 18, the new Apple iPhone 18 Pro series was officially launched worldwide. Despite the differences in race and culture, the reactions from Apple enthusiasts, including those from the United States, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, were quite similar: lining up outside Apple stores even in the early hours of the morning or overnight, hoping to become the first users of the new generation iPhone.
Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models on September 9, offering four color options for consumers to choose from: black, silver, glacier blue, and burgundy red. Due to a shortage of memory leading to price increases in components, Apple raised the prices of other products such as iPad and Mac during the summer of 2026. The starting price for the iPhone 18 Pro is $1,199, while the larger Pro Max starts at $1,299.
Despite the price increase, it did not dampen the excitement as long queues formed outside stores. The new product launch simultaneously covered Apple’s offline stores in various global locations, including New York, Shanghai, London, Mumbai, and Kuala Lumpur.
Noteworthy is the presence of Apple’s new CEO John Ternus at the fifth avenue flagship store in New York City on the day of the launch, participating in the opening ceremony with employees and Apple enthusiasts waiting in line. Additionally, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Retail, Deirdre O’Brien, and Senior Vice President of Global Marketing, Greg Joswiak, were also present to welcome customers.
In addition to the iPhone 18 series, Apple also began selling the AirPods 5 headphones, Watch Ultra 4, and Watch Series 12 smartwatches. The highly anticipated Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, will officially go on sale on October 23.