This is the second year that Vietnam has been included among the key markets for the launch of Apple's latest iPhones. Excitement was reported at numerous retail chains in the country's two largest cities.
At several stores, customers lined up from early morning to collect their pre-ordered devices.
In Ho Chi Minh City, some buyers arrived before 6 am to wait for the first iPhone 18 Pro units.
Dao Anh Tu, a resident of Phu Thuan Ward in Ho Chi Minh City, said he had upgraded from an iPhone Air to an iPhone 18 Pro Max in the Ice Blue colour.
"My iPhone Air does not have good battery life, while I need a device with strong performance and a long-lasting battery for editing photos on my phone. I also want to explore whether the new camera on the iPhone 18 Pro Max delivers meaningful improvements," he said.
Tu said he arrived at 5.50 am to be among the first in line to collect his phone.
By 7 am, more than 300 customers had gathered at the Topzone 181 Ham Nghi store in Ho Chi Minh City.
Under the launch schedule, retailers began handing over pre-ordered devices at 8 am on September 18.
In Hanoi, Nguyen Quang Huy, a technology worker from Nguyen Trai Ward, arrived at a retail outlet at 7 am.
"I want to switch to the 512GB iPhone 18 Pro Max in Ice Blue. I hope the new phone will offer better performance, battery life and photography capabilities to suit my work," he said.
Another Hanoi customer, 27-year-old Nguyen Son Tung, said he decided to buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max on launch day after being impressed by the Ice Blue colour.
Tung recorded the unboxing process and his first experience with the phone's features after receiving the device.
Nguyen Lac Huy, communications representative for CellphoneS, said the retailer had received around 50,000 pre-orders this year, mainly for popular colours such as Burgundy Red and Ice Blue.
The retailer expected to hand over 10,000 devices on the first day and continue supplying customers in the following weeks.
"Although the new iPhone's design has not changed significantly this year, hardware upgrades such as the battery and camera remain key factors attracting customers to upgrade," Huy said.
Nguyen Ngoc Dat, CEO of Di Dong Viet, said the retailer expected to fulfil around 10 per cent of its total pre-orders on launch day.
Nguyen Minh Tuan, director of Minh Tuan Mobile, said the company had recorded more than 13,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max as of September 17.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the total pre-orders, while Burgundy Red and Ice Blue were also among the most popular colours. The 256GB version was the most popular configuration at the retailer.
Apple and its authorised retailers in Vietnam began accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on the evening of September 12. Several retailers' websites experienced instability or became inaccessible when orders opened because of a sharp surge in demand.
Data from major retail chains including The Gioi Di Dong, Viettel Store, CellphoneS, FPT Shop, Di Dong Viet, Minh Tuan Mobile and ShopDunk showed strong interest in the Burgundy Red and Ice Blue versions of the two models.
Preliminary figures showed the retailers had received at least 300,000 pre-orders for the two models, representing deposits worth around VND 300 billion (USD 11.5 million).
Most versions of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now sold out. On Apple's online store, customers ordering the two models currently face waiting times of three to four weeks for delivery.
In Vietnam, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max start at VND 39 million (USD 1,500) and VND 42 million (USD 1,615), respectively, for the 256GB versions. The 2TB versions are priced at VND 78 million (USD 3,000) and VND 81 million (USD 3,115), respectively.
