India: Steve Jobs fan flies to Dubai to buy iPhone early
Before the newest iPhone was on sale in India, a man from Kerala in southern India travelled thousands of kilometres to Dubai to purchase one.
In an effort to be among the first few people in the globe to get the new phone, Dheeraj Palliyil recently travelled abroad to purchase the iPhone 14 Pro.
For his tickets, he paid over 40,000 rupees ($500; £439) and another 129,000 rupees to buy the newer model of iPhone
Undoubtedly, one of the most sought smartphones in the world is the iPhone.
The phone, which Apple first introduced in 2007, revolutionised mobile technology and is a crucial factor in the enormous success of the business.
Fans have gone to considerable lengths over the years to purchase its newest models; many also view owning the phone as a status signal. On the day the phone was released, there were reportedly individuals standing in line outside Apple stores for hundreds of hours and selling their organs.
However, Mr. Palliyil, 28, is not unfamiliar with the hype; this is his fourth trip to Dubai simply to purchase the iphone before others.
The iPhone 8 was introduced in 2017, and after that, vacations were taken in 2019 and 2021.
He says that he “didn’t want to wait” and that he “loves the excitement of waiting outside an Apple store to be among the first to get the phone”.
On September 16, Mr. Palliyi purchased his most recent iPhone, iPhone 14 Pro Max at a mall in Dubai.
“During previous iPhone launches, the phone would usually release in India 10-15 days after its sale abroad. This time however, the India sale was to begin just a few hours later, but it has become my ritual now to buy the latest phone in Dubai,” he says.
Mr. Palliyil, a businessman and cinematographer, claims he has always been interested in technology and is strongly inspired by Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple who passed away in 2011.
He continues, “This is my way of commemorating his work.”
Mr. Palliyil states that initially, his family didn’t fully comprehend why he was doing these excursions.
“They would tease me for wasting money on luxury goods,” he says. “I would always tell them that this is not just about buying an expensive product”, he further added.
India: Steve Jobs fan flies to Dubai to buy iPhone early
He claims that his family eventually gave in and now supports him.
“In fact, they are the ones who alert me about new phone launches and ask me when I’m going to fly to Dubai to buy it”.
