Watch: New iPhones make official debut in UAE

Dubai - The new iPhones - 6S and 6S Plus - made smooth and successful official debut in the UAE as telecom operators and major retailers started its sales from Friday at 12.01am at major malls and outlets in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaima.

Abdul Haq from Syria, Mina from Egypt and Manomehdi from India were among the first buyers of Apple device at du headquarters in Dubai where a long que of popular brand fans started to build up at 11pm in bid to become the first to get hold on the new phone.
The sale will gain momentum without any fear of shortage as the telecom operators and power retailers have received enough inventories from Apple to meet the high demand in the country, according to industry insiders.
Both telecom operators - etisalat and du - are expected to face stiff competition in sales as all major retailers in the UAE got the supplies of new iPhones directly from Apple for the first time and they also made special arrangement to launch the devise in the country with special offers at late night stores opening on Friday.
Samer Majzoub, vice-president for premium segment at du, said new iPhone are expected to generate good sales numbers due to its growing demand in the market.
"We have more than 2,000 pre-bookings for post-paid plans as well as similar number for standalone devices. The growing inquiries from customers are indicating high demand for new iPhones," Majzoub told Khaleej Times at the launch event.
He said du launched the new devices at 18 outlets across the UAE to cater to the high demand as against the earlier plan to open only two flagship stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
"Our sales expectations are very high and most du shops will remain open late night to serve maximum number of customers. The demand is more for iPhone 6S," he said.
To a question, Majzoub ruled out shortage of new iPhones and said du logistics teams are well prepared to meet high demand from the customers.
"We have sufficient stocks from Apple and can cater to the demand in minimum possible time at any du outlet in the UAE."
The rush was also seen at major retailers in Dubai and Sharjah as people started queuing up in front of Jumbo Electronics and Emax outlets in major malls.
"I'm very excited to upgrade my iPhone 6 with new version and can't wait until morning," said David, a Knowledge Village-based student from Italy. Similar is the case with Khalil Ahmed from Pakistan and Sri Lankan national Sarfraz who were keen to hold on the new device.
"I'm a regular Apple user from last three years and want to try new features in iPhone 6S," Sarfraz, a graphic designer by profession, told Khaleej Times.
iPhone 6 was the most popular smartphone in the UAE during second quarter, according to latest report from Telecom Regulatory Authority. The latest version, which was globally launched on September 25, is now officially available in the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
The new iPhone 6S is launched at Dh2,599 for 16GB model, Dh2,999 for the 64GB and Dh3,399 for the 128GB. iPhone 6S Plus is available at Dh2,999 for the 16GB while 64GB and 128GB models were launched at Dh3,399 and Dh3,799, respectively. The new devices are available are gold, silver, space grey and the new rose gold metallic finishes.
- muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com