Mohammed Shakaa did not arrive at the Apple Store to collect just a new phone. He brought 53 old ones with him.
From Apple’s first-generation iPhone to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Dubai resident carried his personal collection to the store after Apple staff contacted him the previous day and asked if he could bring it along. He was there to collect two Apple Duo devices, the newest additions to a hobby that has grown over nearly two decades.
For Shakaa, collecting iPhones is not about keeping old gadgets in a drawer. It is a personal challenge. He keeps the devices displayed at home, often with one or two colour versions of the same model.
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“iPhone collection is my hobby, and it is also a challenge for me,” said Shakaa. “I have almost the whole iPhone collection, from the first generation until the iPhone 18 Pro Max. In some models, I have one or two phones in different colours. I keep them displayed at home.”
Shakaa's colelction
He said he owns only a handful of phones from other brands, including Motorola and Samsung devices. "My real interest has always been Apple."
“I am a die-hard Apple fan,” he said. “With every generation, you see something changing: the camera, touch, battery, operating system and many other things. I have experienced those changes over the years, and that is why I love it.”
Shakaa, who is originally from Karachi, said he had been following rumours about Apple’s foldable phone for more than three years. When the iPhone 18 series was announced, he was already more curious about what would come next.
“When Apple Duo bookings opened, I got the chance to book it,” he said. “I had been waiting for it for more than three years. There were only rumours before, but finally it is here. Today, I am very happy to receive it.”
He said the launch also completed a personal “hat-trick”. For three years in a row, he has been among the first people in line for a major Apple launch.
“For the past three years, it has been back to back, and today my hat-trick is complete,” he said. “Now I want other people to get an opportunity as well. I have done what I wanted to do, and I do not want others to feel disappointed.”
His next target is much bigger than being first outside a Dubai store. Shakaa hopes Apple will one day take him to California for one of its launch events.
“I want to go to California for Apple’s next launch and be number one there,” he said. “I want to represent myself and show them how far my craze for these phones has gone.”