Say, wouldn't it be a shame if something happened to your local Apple Store on the most important day of the year, which happens to be… today, September 18? You know, today is when the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the 18 Pro are launching.
Well, something indeed happened. Apple Store workers in several major cities in Italy are on strike.
The "best" timing
Apple isn't happy about this, as I can imagine. | Image by Apple
Reuters reports that some Apple Store employees in Italy went on strike. The reasons? These workers have demands and aren't fully satisfied with their working conditions.
Per the report, the Filcams CGIL, Fiascast CISL and Uiltucs trade unions have announced that their members would "refuse to work for the whole day". Instead, they'll hold demonstrations and strikes in front of various Apple flagship stores. The Apple Stores are located in Rome, Milan and other major cities.
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What's the situation?
More than 1,600 employees across 17 Apple stores in Italy were reportedly "concerned" by the strike, according to the Filcams CISL union. The walkout coincided with the global launch of the iPhone 18 Pro, although Apple said to Reuters its retail and online stores remained open and were operating normally.
Italian unions say new iPhone launches bring a significant increase in workload for retail employees, whose roles have gradually shifted toward more demanding customer-service responsibilities. They also argue that working conditions have deteriorated, with too little attention being given to employee well-being.
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They want more people
The unions are asking Apple to bring more people into its stores, convert fixed-term positions into permanent jobs and give part-time employees the opportunity to work additional hours if they'd like or need to.
Apple, for its part, says it is proud of the compensation and benefits it provides, pointing to private medical, dental and vision coverage as well as mental health and wellness programs. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at €1,489 in Italy, while Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, is to arrive in late October.
Tensions and emotions
Meanwhile, on the far side of the world, which is another way of saying Australia, scandals erupted in front of a flagship Apple Store in Sydney.
Things there got a little ridiculous when the alleged first iPhone 18 Pro buyer was interrupted by another customer. The second man rushed into the frame, loudly claiming he was the first person to buy the new iPhone and forcing security to step in. Swears followed.
The alleged first customer appears to have been 20-year-old Lachlan Collyer, who had arrived hours before opening to secure his place at the front of the line. He walked away with a Glacier Ice Blue iPhone 18 Pro and seemed far more interested in the phone itself than the brief drama surrounding it, praising Apple's new 2nm chip and the direction of its technology. Apple staff and fellow customers reportedly recognized Collyer as the genuine first customer.
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Sebastian is one of PhoneArena’s senior opinionators. A veteran news writer with almost 20 years of experience in media and technology, he not only covers all the hot news about Galaxies and iPhones, but often provides hot takes on industry trends. He’s fascinated with camera-focused flagships from the likes of Oppo and Vivo, as well as foldable phones.
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