A Kochi-based businessman specially flew to Dubai on September 15 to get his hands on the latest iPhone 14 Pro, The Times of India reported. This was a day before the newest iPhone range was made available in India.
Dheeraj Palliyil made the purchase from Mirdif City Centre, one of Dubai's most popular shopping destinations. According to the TOI report, he was the first among hundreds of waiting customers to buy the phone.
The iPhone 14 Pro has a starting price of Rs 1,29,900. On top of that, Palliyil spent Rs 40,000 on air tickets and visa fee.
This not the first time the businessman made a trip abroad to purchase a prized gadget.
He first went to Dubai to purchase the iPhone 8 in 2017. More trips followed.
"I managed to purchase the iPhone 11 Pro Max first from the same seller in Mirdif City Centre when sales started in Dubai in 2019, even weeks before the launch of the model in India," Palliyil told TOI. "I was also the first customer when the sale of iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, started in Dubai."
Palliyil is the director of a digital consultancy named Dare Pictures.
Apple had unveiled its iPhone 14 series -- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max -- at its "Far Out" event on September 7.
In India, iPhone 14 costs Rs 79,900 for the 128GB base variant. Its 256GB and 512GB models cost Rs 89,900 and Rs 1,09,900, respectively.
The Pro model has a price tag of Rs 1,29,900 for the base variant. The 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions will cost Rs 1,39,900, Rs 1,59,900, and Rs 1,79,900.
The iPhone Pro Max comes in models costing Rs 1,39,900, Rs 1,49,900, Rs 1,69,900, and Rs 1,89,900.
