Look: Apple iPhone 14 sales in UAE begin, hundreds queue outside Dubai Mall

Some customers have been waiting outside the mall since 4am to get their hands on the latest gadget

By Nareen Abdulla; Visuals: Shihab, Yasmin Mustafa

Published: Fri 16 Sep 2022, 8:09 AM

Last updated: Fri 16 Sep 2022, 2:41 PM

Apple store employees lined up at the entrance and counted down to 8am while welcoming the first buyers inside the Apple store at Dubai Mall.

There were long queues outside the store as hundreds of people lined up to get their hands on the brand-new iPhone 14 that go on sale in the UAE today.

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Abdul Rafeeque, an IT manager at a media company was the first person to buy the brand-new device after securing a reservation for 8am. “I bought six iPhone 14 Pro 256GB,” said the beaming Indian national. “I had reservations for two iPhones in the morning and four for the evening. But when I asked the staff if I could pick up everything now, they agreed.” He said he was buying multiple devices for his friends and family.

“Although I have been at every launch event since the 4S, this is the first time that I am first in line,” he said. He shared images of launch events he has attended in the past.

Rafeeque had logged on to several devices to secure the earliest appointment when the reservations started.

Some people had been waiting since 4am to get into the mall, despite having reservations. Dr Mohanad was one of them, buying four devices. “I came at 4am and waited until the mall opened at 7am,” he said. “I am buying three iPhone Pro Max and one iPhone Pro for myself and my family.”

The Dubai resident had arrived with a bagful of cash for his purchase. “I wanted to pay in cash,” he said. “So I brought enough with me.”

Apple has priced iPhone 14 at Dh3,399, iPhone 14 Plus at Dh3,799, iPhone 14 Pro at Dh4,299 and iPhone 14 ProMax at Dh4,699 in the UAE.

Osama Azhar was in the store to buy ten devices for everyone in his family. “My entire family is crazy about Apple products,” he said. “So, I am buying for all of them.”

Friends Mohammed Mehzin and Haseeb Abdul Lateef had also waited on their respective devices to get the first reservations. “I was the one who got it,” said Mohammed Mehzin.

The businessman will be replacing his iPhone X that he has had for the last five years. “I think I will give the old phone to my younger brother,” he said.

Another person shopping for their younger brother was Kaja Mohamed. He bought two iPhone 14 Pro Max and two Series 8 Apple Watches. “I am going to India today and I wanted to buy my brother a gift,” he said. “So, I decided to get a new phone and watch for him and myself.”

The UAE is amongst the first countries where the US tech firm has rolled out its latest smartphones which were unveiled on September 7.

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