The launch of the iPhone 18 series drew crowds of eager buyers to Apple stores across major Indian cities on Friday, with customers lining up for hours to get their hands on the latest devices on the first day of sale.At the Apple Store at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket, New Delhi, customers gathered ahead of the official sales launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The store welcomed buyers with applause as sales began.A buyer said the decision to upgrade was driven by the new features and performance improvements. “It is just a phone… we will use it and know how it performs. I just need to upgrade from my iPhone 15 Plus. It has many upgraded features and performance,” the customer said.In Mumbai, the newly launched iPhone 18 series also went on sale at Apple’s store in Bandra Kurla Complex, where customers turned up in large numbers.One customer, who had waited around 10 to 12 hours, said he was determined to be among the first buyers. “I’ve got the first phone. I’m really excited. My goal was to get the first one; I’d been waiting here for about 10 to 12 hours for this. Finally, the first phone is in my hands. I’m absolutely thrilled about it,” he said.Similar scenes were witnessed in Bengaluru, where a large number of customers thronged the Apple Store at Phoenix Mall of Asia as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max officially went on sale.In Noida, buyers queued up outside the Apple Store at DLF Mall, waiting to purchase the latest devices.The long queues and first-day rush across the metros once again reflected the enthusiasm surrounding Apple’s annual iPhone launch, with customers willing to wait for hours to be among the first to own the new models.