Dh3,000 Markups Hit iPhone 18 Pro Max Launch in Dubai
Right outside the Apple store at the Mall of the Emirates, boxes barely had time to be opened before an aggressive local resale market kicked into gear.
Instant Flips and Steep Markups Outside Dubai Stores
Buyers stepping out with fresh hardware found themselves fielding immediate cash offers from resellers looking to capitalize on tight launch-day supplies. Securing a device early translated into instant profit opportunities, particularly for anyone who managed to grab the newly introduced burgundy finish or high-storage configurations.
Mark-ups hovered between Dh1,000 and Dh3,000 above standard retail prices. One seller posted outside the Mall of the Emirates quoted an extra Dh2,000 just for a 256GB iPhone 18 Pro in burgundy. Another pair of pre-order holders pushed their asking price to Dh8,000 for the same burgundy 256GB model, roughly Dh3,000 higher than its official Dh5,099 retail tag. Other street-level listings caught transactions on a 256GB iPhone 18 Pro priced at Dh5,600 and a 256GB Pro Max at Dh6,500.
Official retail entry points start at Dh5,099 for the Pro and Dh5,499 for the Pro Max, scaling all the way up to Dh10,199 and Dh10,599 for top-tier 2TB variants. While Apple offers an official trade-in scheme yielding between Dh160 and Dh3,260 in credit depending on device condition, the frenzy on the concourse proved that immediate cash flips remain the preferred route for quick-turnaround buyers.
