The iPhone 16 series that was launched on September 9 has finally hit the Indian market and is now available on both online and offline stores. With every iPhone launch, the Indian audience keeps getting more and more interested and excited about the Apple device. This morning, social media platforms were flooded with pictures and videos of people queuing up outside official Apple stores in India. Both the Mumbai and Delhi stores witnessed huge crowds to buy the iPhone 16 series. India Today Tech visited the store in Saket, Delhi to take stock of the crowd and here is what we found.

Look at the long queues to buy the new generation Apple phones. The case of the Mumbai store was also similar. I am tired just looking at it and can only imagine how tiring it must be for the people present there. Standing in long lines was so unbearable that a customer found another fun way to get the iPhone 16 series.

Sitting at home or office, you might be wondering why people need to go to the store when the devices are available online. Well, people standing in line might be thinking the same thing. One such incident posted on X caught our attention. X user @swapnilsinha07 posted a picture sharing an interesting incident. Living in Bangalore, he came to Mumbai to become one of the first owners of the iPhone 16. He reached the store around 6:30 pm and was waiting for his turn to buy the new iPhone. But the queues and waiting time were not the toughest things he had to witness. He shared that while he was waiting in line, a man in front of him ordered the iPhone 16 online and got the product even before his turn to go inside came.

The customer ordered the iPhone 16 on Flipkart minutes ago and it arrived in a few minutes. He also stood in line for hours and probably arrived before 6:45 am. But he couldn’t wait long enough to experience shopping in the store. He spent time and energy waiting outside the store, only to buy the smartphone online. If this isn’t a classic irony, then what is.

It is interesting to note that users can also order the iPhone 16 series on other apps. Of course, Amazon, Flipkart, Croma and other online websites are selling the devices. But they will take time to deliver. If you want the iPhone 16 to arrive at your home within minutes, you can look at BlinkIt, BigBasket and Zepto. The landscape of fast delivery has leveled off, with quick commerce leaders now offering the latest tech releases, including the iPhone 16, as well as daily necessities, redefining the boundaries of convenience.