A man’s excitement over becoming what he claimed was the first person in the world to purchase Apple’s new iPhone 18 Pro has turned into a widely shared social media moment.
Outside Apple’s flagship store in Sydney, Australia, the enthusiastic customer proudly raised his newly purchased iPhone high above his head, celebrating his achievement as people nearby cheered and applauded.
The scene unfolded on 18 September 2026, as Apple officially launched its latest Pro smartphones.
For the excited buyer, simply owning the newest iPhone apparently wasn’t enough. Being the first to get his hands on one was an achievement worth celebrating publicly.
However, the moment came with an unexpected twist. Another customer, 20-year-old Lachlan Collyer, had reportedly arrived hours earlier and secured the front position in the queue. According to Australian media reports, the celebrating customer had pushed ahead, while Collyer was recognised by staff and other customers as the legitimate first buyer.
Footage of the celebration quickly circulated online, attracting humorous reactions from viewers. Some compared the man’s triumphant pose to winning a sporting competition, while another joked that he was holding the phone as though Apple’s chief executive had personally presented it to him.
Beyond the laughter, the moment highlights the remarkable excitement surrounding Apple’s product launches, where customers are sometimes willing to queue for hours for the opportunity to own the latest technology before everyone else.
For this customer, the purchase was clearly more than a transaction. It was a moment to raise his phone, celebrate and claim a place in iPhone launch-day history.