Apple Opens iPhone 18 Pro Sales as New CEO Ternus Greets Fifth Avenue Crowd

Apple kicked off sales of its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on Friday morning, opening the doors of its flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York at 8 a.m. to customers who had queued for launch day.

CEO John Ternus and retail chief Deirdre O'Brien greeted the first buyers inside the glass-cube store at 767 Fifth Ave. Harry Sun, the first person to make a purchase, came out with the new iPhones and showed them off to those waiting outside.

The iPhone 18 Pro is priced from $1,199, while the Pro Max starts at $1,299. Apple says the new models bring improvements to the camera, performance and battery, including up to 45 hours of video playback on the Pro Max and faster charging.

Camera features include what Apple describes as "cinematic effects" generated from ordinary video shot on the phone, along with new manual controls and "smart focus tracking," which allows users to keep a single moving subject — such as a child during a soccer game — in focus.

Apple is also highlighting new artificial intelligence capabilities for its Siri assistant on the devices, stressing privacy and security as it seeks to differentiate itself from rivals that have moved further ahead in integrating AI. Earlier this year, the company announced AI advances, including Siri upgrades, with an emphasis on privacy and everyday use.

The launch drew devoted customers, some of whom treat the event as an annual ritual. Leo Friedman, attending his fourth launch at the Fifth Avenue store, said he returns each year to reunite with friends made while waiting in line. His mother, Phyllis Friedman, described the outing as a family tradition that began with her son's enthusiasm for Apple products.

Keith Swiader said he bought the iPhone 18 Pro Max in Burgundy and lines up every year, calling the atmosphere the best part of September. Jose Santos, who travelled from Brazil for the launch, said being there fulfilled a long-held ambition. Jonathan Smilovich said he wanted to be part of the electric mood among the crowd.

The iPhone 18 costs about $100 more than earlier generations, partly because of a global memory chip shortage. The iPhone 17 range was priced from $799 to $1,999 depending on the model.

Apple's rivals, including Samsung, Motorola and Google, have already introduced foldable smartphones, but the company has not rushed into the category. Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said the approach fits Apple's playbook of waiting for a product to mature and the market to show signs of viability before entering and shaping the category, though he added that the question is whether Apple can expand demand for what remains a niche segment.