Retailers in the UAE are gearing up for an influx of Apple fans from abroad ahead of the September 19 launch of the latest iPhones. Traders expect buyers from India, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and other regions to fly into the country to be among the first to purchase the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air.
“We already have three bookings for the device from customers abroad. We are expecting more people to come once the device launches,” said Mohammad Razik from Right Exit Phones Trading at Al Attar Shopping Mall.
It was on September 9 that Apple announced the new iterations of the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and Air in what was described as the biggest change seen in an Apple device in eight years. The iPhone Air is the thinnest phone the company has ever made, combining a breakthrough design with a titanium frame with pro-level performance.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Pre-booking for the phones opened on Friday, September 12 at 4pm UAE time and were sold out within minutes. The iPhone Air will start at Dh4,299 in the UAE, while the iPhone 17 Pro will have prices beginning from Dh5,099 and the iPhone 17 will start from Dh4,699.
Ease of access
Experts said that there were several reasons why people chose to come to the UAE to buy the devices. “One thing is the ease of access,” said Mohammed Shareef, owner of Extel Mobiles. “Another is that the UAE market will have more devices to sell, making availability a little easier.”
He added that several Indians are choosing to buy from the UAE even though the devices will be sold in India as well.
“There are some Apple stores in major cities in India but with the UAE just a short, four-hour plane ride away, many people just choose to come here for a short vacation and shop for their phones here,” he said. “Also, here it is easy access to the Apple stores in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”
Experts had told Khaleej Times that some buyers were willing to pay up to double the price to get the Apple devices on the first day. The first batch of the phones will be delivered starting September 19.
For Indian expat Rahib Mohammed, price is what is driving him to travel to the UAE to buy his new iPhone. “I will be travelling to Dubai in October for work-related purposes,” he said. “So I decided that I will buy the new iPhone from there. Price-wise, it works out cheaper for me to buy it from the UAE.”
“In the UAE, an iPhone 17 pro with 2 TB storage will cost Dh8,499. In India, the same device will cost Rs. 229900 (approx. Dh9,500) because there is added taxes. In the UAE, I could get a device and Apple Care- which costs Dh 799- for less than the price of a device in India. Also, I am expecting them to have more stocks, so even though I will buy it after almost a month of its release, I am likely to get it earlier than if I order it in India.”
Earlier, Ashish Panjabi, COO of Jackys BrandShop, had said that since the UAE is a phase 1 market, he was expecting those from countries with phase 2 launch to come to the country to buy the new devices. However, he added the company would do due diligence and would only sell to genuine customers and not traders.
Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.