The launch of the iPhone 18 in Dubai has triggered a wave of intense retail activity, as eager buyers look to cash in on the device's immediate popularity. Within hours of stores opening, a secondary market emerged right outside Apple locations, with individuals flipping their brand-new handsets for premiums as high as Dh3,000. The atmosphere was electric, particularly at the Mall of the Emirates, where sellers were seen approaching those exiting the store to negotiate prices for the highly coveted burgundy-colored Pro models.

While the retail price for the iPhone 18 Pro starts at Dh5,099, some opportunistic resellers were demanding as much as Dh8,000 for the 256GB version, banking on the high demand for the new flagship. Despite the availability of official trade-in programs from Apple, which offer credit based on device condition, the allure of quick cash appears to be driving this surge in informal trading. Industry experts anticipate that these inflated price points will likely stabilize in the coming days as supply levels align with consumer demand.