Apple’s iPhone 17 series went on sale in India on September 19, drawing massive early-morning crowds at Apple Stores in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi, as eager customers queued up hours in advance to get their hands on the latest devices.
Priced between Rs 82,900 and Rs 2,29,900, the new iPhone 17 lineup — which includes the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and the slimmer iPhone Air — features the A19 chip, a 48MP Fusion camera, ProMotion displays, and ships with iOS 26, Apple’s latest operating system.
In Bengaluru, long lines formed outside the newly opened Apple Hebbal store at Mall of Asia, the company’s first outlet in South India.
Mohammad Suhail, who purchased the new phone, told PTI Videos, “It’s nice to have a store in Bengaluru. We are very excited. The service is very nice... We booked four phones, and this model is comparatively better than the last three models.”
Another customer, who queued up for the saffron-coloured model, said, “I was in the queue since morning, and I am excited to buy the iPhone of this colour. In India, this saffron-coloured phone will become very popular. I am a Muslim, but I love this colour...”
In Mumbai, crowds thronged the Apple Store at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), where pre-booked buyers began lining up as early as 3 am.
“I was standing in the queue since 3 am. I have come here from Jogeshwari. I was very excited... waiting for this phone since last six months,” said one of the first customers.
Irfan, another customer at BKC, added, “I’ve come to buy the orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. I’ve been waiting since 8 pm.... This time, there are changes to the camera and battery, and the look is also different...”
The heavy rush even led to a brief scuffle among a few people outside the Apple Store at BKC Jio Centre, prompting security intervention.
A customer, Aman Chouhan, told ANI, "I have purchased iPhone 17PRO Max, one is 256GB and the other is 1TB. I was waiting in line since 12 midnight and now I have got it. It has new features. The orange colour is new..."
In Delhi, the Apple Store at Saket also witnessed long queues as customers lined up for pre-bookings before the official sales opened.
The frenzy marked one of Apple’s strongest retail launches in India, underscoring the brand’s growing presence in the market.
Apple recently opened its Bengaluru store on September 2, its first in South India and third nationwide, offering the full range of products, services, and Today at Apple sessions for users.
Apple had unveiled the iPhone 17 lineup globally on September 9, 2025, followed by the release of iOS 26 on September 15.
The update introduced a “Liquid Glass” interface, adaptive power modes, and Apple Intelligence features compatible with iPhone 13 and later devices.
However, users reported temporary battery drain due to initial indexing and mixed feedback on both the new interface and device durability.
Apple responded by releasing a revised iOS 26 build for iPhone 17 Pro models on September 18 and confirmed an upcoming iOS 26.0.1 patch to address camera glitches.