Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max reached stores worldwide on Friday, September 18, bringing familiar launch-day lines to New York and several major Indian cities. At Apple Fifth Avenue, new CEO John Ternus opened the doors and greeted the first customers, according to Infobae.
The appearance gave Ternus a highly visible retail moment just 17 days after he succeeded Tim Cook. Apple announced that Ternus became CEO on September 1, with Cook moving to executive chairman. Infobae reports that other Apple executives, including marketing chief Greg Joswiak and industrial design leader Molly Anderson, joined Ternus at the Fifth Avenue store.
Lines stretch beyond New York
The launch-day crowds were not confined to Apple's Manhattan flagship. India Today reported overnight queues in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, including at Apple Saket and Apple BKC. The Indian Express also documented early crowds in Noida and Gurugram, with a mix of pre-booked customers and walk-in buyers.
Apple says the two Pro phones arrived alongside Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5. The phones became available in more than 65 countries and regions on September 18, following preorders that opened six days earlier.
A split iPhone release
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the US, while the Pro Max starts at $1,299, according to Apple's launch announcement. Both begin with 256GB of storage and come in burgundy, glacier, silver and black.
This year's iPhone rollout is split. Apple's foldable iPhone Duo, unveiled alongside the Pro models, is scheduled to arrive in October. That leaves the Pro and Pro Max to carry the first wave of the company's fall phone launch, and gives Ternus his first store-opening ritual as Apple's chief executive.
