Apple Mania Sweeps Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru as iPhone 17 Hits Stores

PTI, NEW DELHI, SEPT 19, 2025 : Apple's latest flagship, the iPhone 17, launched on Friday to an unprecedented frenzy, with eager customers lining up for hours – even camping overnight for up to 21 hours – outside Apple stores across major cities. The massive anticipation was palpable as fans in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru formed long, serpentine queues, determined to be among the first to get their hands on the new devices. The scene was a vibrant showcase of Apple fandom, highlighting the brand's enduring appeal and the excitement surrounding its latest offering in India.

Retailers reported record-breaking foot traffic on opening day, with early buyers sharing stories of camaraderie and determination in the long lines. At the Apple Store in Delhi’s Saket Citywalk Mall, as well as in Mumbai and Bengaluru, people lined up well before store opening hours, underscoring strong demand fueled by enthusiastic young buyers and the brand's premium appeal.

"I was in the queue since morning, and I am excited to buy the iPhone of this colour," Ashraf from Sangam Vihar, Delhi, could not hide his excitement as he clutched his newly purchased cosmic orange device.

In Bengaluru, the newly opened Apple Hebbal store at Mall of Asia witnessed heavy footfall as excited shoppers lined up early to purchase the newly launched iPhone 17 lineup along with the latest Apple Watch and AirPods. One of the customers, Mohammad Suhail, who purchased an iPhone 17, said it was “nice to have a store in Bengaluru.” Apple had launched the retail store in Bengaluru on September 2, in a grand opening that marked its debut in South India.

Mumbai saw a similar frenzy outside Apple’s Jio World Drive mall at Bandra Kurla Complex business district. A little before 6 am, a scuffle broke out among some of the customers who had assembled, prompting the security personnel to intervene. Once the store opened at the designated time of 8 am, it was a smooth flow with customers going in and quickly picking up units of their desired model.

"Every year, I stand in line from 3 am to buy the newest model. I have been very excited about the model and had been waiting for it for the past six months," said Aman Memon, among the first customers, who bought three units for him and his family. Memon said the colour features of the new phone, along with a newer bionic chip, were a big draw for him.

While there is no official word from Apple yet on record turnout, analysts say Apple’s growth in India is being fueled by its strong brand appeal and wider adoption of EMI schemes among young buyers. Apple unveiled the iPhone 17 series in the price range of Rs 82,900 to Rs 2,29,900, which became available in India starting Friday for customers who have pre-booked the device.

In the US, the iPhone 17 series is priced between USD 799 (about Rs 70,370) and USD 1,999 (Rs 1.76 lakh) apiece.

Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research, highlighted the aspirational appeal of the Apple brand and its strong momentum in India, marked by double-digit growth. He noted that the increasing adoption of EMI schemes has eased affordability challenges for young buyers, further fueling demand. "So, the aspirational strength of this particular brand remains. Apple has a very strong momentum in India, growing in double digits. The young, aspirational user base is growing... And now, what is happening is almost three out of five iPhones in India are being sold on EMIs, which actually reduces the purchase barrier and behavior for a lot of these young audiences who wish to buy an iPhone," Pathak added.