Vietnamese buyers deposit $12M for iPhone 18 pre-orders

Authorized Apple resellers opened orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12, synchronizing their rollout with the official online Apple Store in Vietnam. Unlike Apple's direct storefront, third-party authorized retailers require customers to place an upfront cash deposit to secure delivery from initial shipments, with the VND1 million being the standard amount at most stores.

By 10 a.m. on Sept. 13, TopZone, the dedicated Apple retail network run by Mobile World, announced it had 190,000 pre-orders, with more than 170,000 buyers putting up the deposit.

Other retail chains reported similar interest: Viettel Store received 57,000 deposits, CellphoneS received nearly 40,000, and Di Dong Viet counted 23,000 buyers.

Hoang Ha Mobile received 9,000 orders within just 10 minutes of going live, rising to 18,000 in the first 24 hours.

These figures represent only a partial tally of national demand, as Vietnam has around 10 authorized retail chains and Apple Store Online Vietnam does not disclose its sales figures.

Even so, based solely on public disclosures by retailers, there have been at least 300,000 reservations, meaning Vietnamese have paid up VND300 billion as just upfront deposits for the iPhone 18.

An iPhone 18 Pro Max on display at the launch event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9, 2026. Photo by Tuan Hung

Even though the new handsets are seen as merely refined versions of previous phones rather than a radical leap over the previous generation, demand remains intense, mirroring past releases.

A TopZone spokesperson said pre-order volumes have doubled from 2025.

Last year, there had been 100,000 opening-day reservations in Vietnam for four models: the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air.

This year, there are only two.

In line with typical sales trends, the base 256GB iPhone 18 Pro Max finished in Apple's signature red emerged as the runaway favorite.

Data from Di Dong Viet shows the 18 Pro Max accounts for 84% of pre-orders, the 256 GB model for 75% and the burgundy color option for 66%.

CellphoneS said burgundy and icy blue are the most popular.

With initial inventory allocations fully booked, estimated delivery windows are being pushed back.

A retailer warned that customers who ordered high-demand variants, such as the 256 GB burgundy red 18 Pro Max, on the morning of Sept. 13 may have to wait until November to get their phone.

Apple kicked off global pre-orders for the flagship pair across more than 60 markets on Sept. 12.

In Vietnam, the 256 GB iPhone 18 Pro starts at VND38.99 million ($1,500), a VND4 million increase over the launch sticker price of the 17 Pro, while higher tiers cost VND45.49 million for 512 GB, VND58.49 million for 1 TB, and VND77.99 million for 2 TB.

The Pro Max opens at VND41.99 million for 256 GB, rising to VND48.49 million for 512 GB, VND61.49 million for 1 TB, and VND80.99 million for 2 TB.

Unveiled at Apple’s Sept. 9 "Surprise and Shine" event, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max put physical camera innovation front and center. For the first time on an iPhone, the 48-megapixel main camera features a mechanically adjustable aperture—using precision laser-cut blades to physically expand or contract the lens opening for better control over light and depth of field.

Both models are available in four colors: burgundy red, icy blue, silver, and black.