The iPhone 18 Pro officially went on sale in Malaysia today (Sept 18), with Apple fans turning up at the Apple Store TRX before sunrise to get their hands on the latest flagship.
Some customers arrived as early as 4.30am, hours before the store opened at 8am.
The early rush comes as Malaysia has emerged as the cheapest market in Southeast Asia for the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro and the fourth cheapest globally, according to VnExpress.
The 256GB model is priced at RM5,499, or about US$1,351, in Malaysia. Only the United States, Canada and Hong Kong offer lower prices, while the UAE ranks fifth.
Thailand is the second cheapest market in Southeast Asia, with the same model costing about RM5,975, or US$1,468.
Malaysia also ranks among the cheapest markets globally for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Its 256GB model costs RM5,999 locally, placing it fourth worldwide behind the US, Canada and Hong Kong.
Apple has kept the starting price of the iPhone 18 Pro unchanged from last year’s iPhone 17 Pro, with the 256GB model priced at RM5,499 and the 512GB version at RM6,499.
The 1TB model costs RM8,499, while the new 2TB version is priced at RM11,499.
For the iPhone 18 Pro Max, prices start at RM5,999 for 256GB, followed by RM6,999 for 512GB, RM8,999 for 1TB and RM11,999 for 2TB.
While the 256GB and 512GB models retain their previous starting prices, the 1TB versions cost RM1,000 more than their predecessors. The new 2TB models are RM2,000 more expensive.
Apple also raised prices for several older models following the launch, with most variants increasing by RM300.
At the Apple Store TRX, 25-year-old James from Selangor became the first person in line after arriving at around 4.30am.
He told WeirdKaya that he had been using an iPhone 11 for about seven years before deciding it was time for an upgrade.
James eventually bought a black iPhone 18 Pro Max and said he was looking forward to trying its Apple Intelligence features, new Siri AI and upgraded camera.
The store had separate queues for customers collecting pre-orders and those making walk-in purchases. The first customer in the walk-in queue was reportedly a visitor from Uzbekistan.
Beyond its pricing, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max feature Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, built using a 2nm process.
According to Apple, the new GPU is up to 40% faster than the previous generation.
The phones also feature a new 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, allowing the camera to adjust the amount of light reaching the sensor while giving users greater control over depth of field.
Both models are available in Burgundy, Glacier, Silver and Black.
For buyers who prefer instalments, the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro is available from RM229.13 per month over 24 months.
Meanwhile, Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, is scheduled to arrive in Malaysia on Oct 23, with pre-orders opening at 8pm on Oct 16.
