Australia iPhone 18 launch descends into chaos as line-cutter claims he's first in world to buy device

Key Points:

• Lachlan Collyer camped outside Sydney’s Apple flagship store to be the first customer to buy the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but a line-jumper claimed the title on camera, sparking drama at the launch.
• Despite the interruption, Collyer was widely recognized by staff and other customers as the genuine first buyer, expressing excitement over the phone’s new 2-nanometer architecture chip and Apple’s future direction.
• Early customers Mehak Dhiman and Shav Chandra arrived hours before the store opened to choose between the returning glacier blue and new burgundy colors, also previewing Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, ahead of its October 23 release.
• Sydney influencers and content creators were invited to the launch, sharing exclusive first looks on social media, including Brad Canning whose video reached millions on TikTok.
• The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max feature major upgrades including a 48-megapixel camera, the A20 Pro chip, improved battery life, a rebuilt Siri with iOS 27, and a smaller dynamic island; new Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5 also launched, with Mac mini and Mac Studio releases scheduled for September 22.