2 weeks Ago
The iPhone 16 has landed in the UAE and, today, Apple fans will finally get their hands on one — or more than a dozen of it. iPhone release days are no ordinary days in the Emirates. Over the years, we have seen crowds camp out overnight outside Apple stores and endless queues snaking through mall corridors all day.
To hear people buying 11 (or more) iPhones in one go is not unusual. Some go as far as travelling to Dubai from halfway around the world just to get the coveted device ahead of everyone else. This year, however, Apple introduced smarter measures to keep the frenzy in check, including requiring online reservations, setting pickup times, and limiting purchases to two per Apple ID user.
Nevertheless, barricades have been put up and security plans mapped out because — in spite of it all — crowds are still expected. Khaleej Times’ teams are on the ground to capture the excitement, the happy tears, some frustration — and everything in between. Here’s the latest: 7am: No entry! Those who may have planned to queue up at Apple stores — particularly at the tech giant's flagship branch at Dubai Mall — way before opening hours would have been disappointed.
Security is tight at the mall and no one is being allowed entry. Here's the scene at Dubai Mall:.
