New Delhi, Sep 18: Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale in India on Friday, attracting customers to Apple stores in major cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Sales began at 8 am, with long queues reported outside Apple stores as customers arrived early to get their hands on the latest Pro models. The launch has also drawn attention to the new camera, performance, battery and artificial intelligence features introduced with the latest iPhone generation.
One of the biggest upgrades is the camera system. The iPhone 18 Pro models feature a 48MP Fusion Main camera with a new variable aperture, allowing the camera to adjust to lighting conditions and provide greater control over depth of field. Apple says the new system is designed to improve low-light photography and video recording.
The phones also come with 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide and 48MP Fusion Telephoto cameras. The telephoto system supports up to 8x optical-quality zoom, giving users more flexibility when photographing distant subjects. New Pro camera controls and updated Photographic Styles are also aimed at users who want more control over the look of their photos and videos.
The front camera has also been upgraded to an 18MP Center Stage camera. It is designed to keep people in frame during photos and video calls and supports additional features for video recording.
Performance is another major focus of the new models. The iPhone 18 Pro series is powered by Apple’s A20 Pro chip, which is built using a 2-nanometre process. The chip includes a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU and a new dual 16-core Neural Engine designed to handle demanding applications and on-device AI workloads.
Apple has also introduced a larger vapour chamber for improved heat management. The company says the new cooling system can deliver up to 40 per cent better sustained performance compared with the previous generation, which could be useful during high-intensity gaming and other demanding tasks.
Battery life is another key feature. Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro Max can deliver up to 43 hours of video playback, while faster wired charging can take the phone to 50 per cent in around 15 minutes with a compatible adapter.
The new models also bring a stronger focus on artificial intelligence. iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max run iOS 27 and include Apple Intelligence features along with the new Siri AI. Siri AI is designed to understand more personal context and help users work across apps, messages, emails and other information on the device.
The Dynamic Island has also been redesigned to display more information at once. Apple says it can now show up to three Live Activities, allowing users to keep track of information such as sports scores, navigation and music without opening another app.
The iPhone 18 Pro models are available in four finishes, including the new burgundy option. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 in India, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900.
For customers, the latest launch brings improvements across the areas most commonly associated with premium smartphones — photography, performance, battery life and AI. The strong turnout at Apple stores on the first day also reflects continued consumer interest in the company’s flagship iPhone range in India.