The launch of Apple’s iPhone 18 has sharply increased activity in the UAE’s second-hand smartphone market, with both listings and buyer interest rising after the latest model went on sale.

Data from dubizzle comparing September 9, the day the iPhone 18 was announced, with September 18, when the device became available in stores, shows a substantial increase in activity around iPhones on the platform.

The number of new iPhone listings jumped 810 per cent, from 258 on the announcement day to 2,348 on the day the iPhone 18 went on sale. At the same time, views of iPhone advertisements rose 88 per cent, increasing from 52,600 to 98,700.

Read more: Buying the new iPhone 18? These countries offer the lowest prices

The figures point to increased activity on both sides of the resale market as consumers respond to the arrival of a new generation of Apple’s smartphone.

New iPhone launch drives resale supply

The sharp increase in listings on September 18 suggests that a significant number of existing iPhone owners waited for the new model to become available before selling their current devices.

That creates a familiar pattern in the smartphone market. Consumers who purchase the latest model can quickly become sellers of their previous phones, adding more devices to the pool available to second-hand buyers.

The effect is not limited to 1 particular iPhone generation. As more owners upgrade, older models can appear on the resale market across different storage capacities, specifications and price ranges.

For buyers, that can mean a wider selection of used iPhones becomes available at the same time that attention is focused on Apple’s latest release.

Buyer activity rises alongside listings

The increase in supply was accompanied by a rise in consumer interest. iPhone advertisement views reached 98,700 on the iPhone 18’s release date, compared with 52,600 on the announcement date.

That represents an 88% increase and indicates that the additional inventory was accompanied by higher levels of browsing activity.

The figures also show that the impact of a major smartphone launch can extend beyond demand for the newest model itself. While some consumers may be focused on purchasing the latest device, others can use the increased availability of previous generations to enter the market or replace an existing phone.

For sellers, the launch of a new model can therefore coincide with a period of increased activity for their older devices.

A cycle between new and used devices

Matthew Gregory, senior director of Strategy at dubizzle, said major smartphone launches affect the secondary market as consumers move between buying new devices and selling their existing ones.

“Major smartphone launches have an impact that extends well beyond the introduction of a new device to the market. At dubizzle, we see this reflected in the secondary market, where consumers upgrading to the latest models put their existing devices up for sale, while other buyers actively search for iPhones across different generations and price points,” Gregory said.

He added that the increase in listings and views around the iPhone 18 release illustrates how quickly activity can change when a major smartphone enters the market.

“The significant increase in both listings and views around the iPhone 18 release demonstrates how quickly consumer behaviour can shift when a major new device enters the market,” Gregory said.

Resale market gains from upgrade cycle

The data suggests that the launch of a new smartphone can create activity across several parts of the device market rather than concentrating interest solely on the latest product.

As consumers upgrade, their previous phones can move into the resale market, giving other buyers access to devices that might otherwise remain in use or outside the market.

That process can also extend the period during which smartphones remain in circulation. A device sold by 1 consumer can subsequently be used by another, potentially delaying its replacement with a new handset.

For the UAE’s second-hand smartphone market, the iPhone 18 launch therefore provided a clear example of how a major product release can influence both supply and consumer activity. The jump in listings from 258 to 2,348, alongside the increase in advertisement views from 52,600 to 98,700, shows the scale of the movement recorded on dubizzle between the announcement and retail launch dates.

The figures also underline the connection between the new-device and resale markets: as some consumers move toward the latest iPhone, others gain more opportunities to buy earlier generations on the second-hand market.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan travelled from Abu Dhabi to Dubai aboard Etihad Rail on Monday as the country moved closer to the launch of its national passenger rail service.

The journey took place ahead of the inauguration of Etihad Rail’s Dubai Station, which was opened by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs and Chairman of Etihad Rail.

Read more: Etihad airways and Etihad Rail’s new UAE travel plan could change how passengers get around

Passenger services between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah are scheduled to begin on September 30, marking the start of regular passenger operations on the UAE’s national railway network.

The opening of the Dubai station is part of the broader rollout of the passenger network, which is designed to connect major cities and regions across the country by rail.

President reviews rail operations

During the journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed reviewed Etihad Rail’s operations, national objectives and passenger services. He was also briefed on the systems and facilities being prepared for the start of passenger operations, a WAM report said.

After arriving in Dubai, the President met Emirati professionals working on the rail project.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President; and other senior officials.

During a tour of the Dubai station, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Theyab reviewed the facility’s passenger services, operational systems and technology.

The tour covered the passenger journey through the station, including arrival, ticketing, boarding and onward travel.

Dubai station links rail and public transport

Sheikh Hamdan said the Dubai station would connect the emirate with Abu Dhabi and other parts of the UAE, while adding another component to Dubai’s transport infrastructure.

“Etihad Rail’s Dubai Station will serve as a new gateway linking Dubai with the UAE capital and the rest of the country,” Sheikh Hamdan said, according to the statement.

He said the connection would improve access to and from Dubai and support the emirate’s wider urban and economic development.

The station is designed to connect Etihad Rail with Dubai’s existing public transport network, giving passengers options for continuing their journeys after arriving by train.

Etihad Rail’s Dubai Station is connected to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station by a dedicated pedestrian bridge, allowing passengers to transfer between the national railway and Dubai Metro.

The integration also extends to Dubai’s Nol system. Passengers can use a single QR code for Etihad Rail journeys and connected public transport services, including Metro, Tram and bus services.

Passenger fares start at Dhs39

Passenger services between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah will begin on September 30.

Tickets are available through the Etihad Rail mobile application, its website and ticket vending machines at stations. Fares start at Dhs39 for Comfort Class and Dhs109 for Premium Class.

The launch represents the next stage in the development of Etihad Rail’s national passenger network after the construction and development of the country’s wider railway infrastructure.

Sheikh Theyab said the passenger network’s launch marked a milestone in the implementation of the UAE’s Projects of the 50 and would strengthen connections between the emirates.

He said the railway network had developed in less than five years into an integrated national system connecting communities and business centres across the UAE.

According to Sheikh Theyab, the network is intended to expand access to economic and employment opportunities while supporting the country’s transport infrastructure.

He also pointed to demand for services between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, saying it reflected public interest in passenger rail and its potential role in meeting mobility needs.

Each additional extension of the network, he said, would further connect the emirates and create opportunities for economic and social development.

Etihad Rail Mobility to operate passenger services

Passenger operations will be handled by Etihad Rail Mobility, a joint venture between Etihad Rail and Keolis, an international passenger transport operator.

The partnership brings together Etihad Rail’s national railway infrastructure and Keolis’ experience in passenger transport operations.

The operating company will be responsible for running passenger services as the UAE begins the next stage of its national rail programme.

The Dubai station is expected to play a central role in that network because of its links with the city’s existing transport infrastructure.

For passengers travelling into Dubai, the pedestrian connection to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station provides a direct link to the Dubai Metro system. The Nol integration is also intended to simplify transfers between rail and other forms of public transport.

The launch comes as the UAE expands the role of rail within its national transport system, with the passenger network initially connecting Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah.

With the Dubai station now inaugurated and services scheduled to begin on Sept. 30, Etihad Rail is moving from infrastructure development into the operation of a national passenger service.

Crude oil exports from key Middle East producers rebounded in September to 16.328 million barrels per day (bpd), the highest since the US-Israeli war on Iran started in late February, data from Kpler showed on Monday, as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates boosted exports.

The rebound came following a recovery in exports via the Strait of Hormuz, which were set to hit about 9.719 million bpd this month, as Saudi Arabia diverted oil exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu following attacks that damaged its East-West pipeline, the preliminary data showed.

While exports from the region – which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran – have rebounded, they were still about 3.2 million bpd down from 19.513 million bpd in February, according to Kpler.

The tally includes cargo transits via the Strait of Hormuz including ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman, shipments from the UAE’s Fujairah and Oman terminals outside the Strait of Hormuz and exports via the Red Sea.

“Kpler estimates Middle East crude exports at just under 80 per cent of pre-conflict levels,” it said in a Monday note.

Top regional exporter Saudi Arabia was on track to ship about 5.4 million bpd this month, rebounding from 2.446 million bpd in August, the data showed.

September shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura port in the Gulf jumped to about 3.25 million bpd, from 929,000 bpd in August, but still lower than the 6.411 million bpd in February, according to the data.

A total of 19 very large crude carriers (VLCCs), carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi oil each, exited the Strait of Hormuz last week, Kpler data showed.

The figures exclude any vessels that might have crossed the strait with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection.

Before the Iran war started on February 28, the strait typically handled about 125 large commercial vessels per day, including tankers, gas carriers, bulkers and container vessels, accounting for some 20 per cent of the world’s daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas supply.

Abu Dhabi rose eight places to rank 33rd globally in JLL’s 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index, making it the leading improver in this year’s assessment, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) said on Monday.

The emirate moved up from 41st place in 2024 and recorded a composite score of 2.42 in the index, which assessed 88 countries and 146 city markets across 260 factors.

ADREC said the improvement reflected measures including publicly accessible property dashboards, interactive maps containing unit-level transaction and service-charge information, and open application programming interfaces that allow market data to be integrated into other systems.

The centre, which regulates and develops Abu Dhabi’s real estate sector, has set a target of placing the emirate among the world’s 25 most transparent property markets by 2030.

“Being recognised as the world’s leading improver in real estate transparency is an important achievement for Abu Dhabi and a measure of the progress made across the market,” ADREC DG Rashed Al Omaira said.

“The next phase will be defined by what markets can do with that information. The markets that lead in transparency will increasingly be those that can turn trusted data into earlier insight on demand, risk and performance,” he added.

ADREC said further progress would require greater use of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, as well as broader data coverage for alternative property sectors including data centres, life sciences and student housing.

Such alternative sectors now account for about 20 per cent of global real estate transaction volumes, according to the release, increasing the need for comparable data as institutional investors expand into newer asset classes. Pasted text

ADREC said Abu Dhabi would also need to strengthen building performance standards and energy transparency frameworks to align more closely with highly transparent markets, where disclosure and resilience planning are more established.
JLL said transparency was becoming increasingly important in determining where global real estate capital was deployed.

“Real estate transparency is crucial to attract foreign investment. Capital flows where there is clarity, strong digital infrastructure, and reliable data,” said Mouhammad Takieddin, JLL’s chief executive for the Middle East and Africa.

The 2026 index found that two-thirds of markets surveyed improved their transparency scores. Transaction volumes in markets classified as “Highly Transparent” rose 64 per cent over the past two years and accounted for more than 80 per cent of global direct real estate investment, JLL said.

The report also said more than 90 per cent of occupiers and investors were now using AI tools to analyse real estate data, including for portfolio analysis, optimisation and capital planning.

JLL and LaSalle Investment Management jointly produce the Global Real Estate Transparency Index, which has been published since 1999.

The biennial study assesses factors including market data, governance, legal and regulatory frameworks, transaction processes and sustainability measures.

QatarEnergy has extended force majeure notices and will not be able to deliver liquefied natural gas cargoes to Italian utility Edison or some Asian clients as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, Edison and trading sources said on Monday.

Edison, one of the company’s biggest customers in Europe, will not receive LNG cargoes until the beginning of December, the Italian group said on Monday, in the latest extension under a force majeure notification first issued in April following disruptions caused by the US-Iran conflict.

Clients in Asia, including in Bangladesh and Pakistan, were also informed that force majeure notices had been extended until November, two trading sources said.

QatarEnergy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Qatar is among the Iran conflict’s biggest economic casualties, with its liquefied ​natural gas exports slashed by 96 per cent, Reuters calculated at the end of August.

While neighbouring Gulf exporters have managed to ship oil secretly ​out of the Strait of Hormuz, Qatar had exported just 18 LNG cargoes until end-August, down from 509 in the same period last year, according to data intelligence firm ICIS.

Winter season will fuel competition for limited supply

With the winter heating season starting within days, buyers in Europe will have to look elsewhere to refill gas storage inventories ahead of the coldest months of the year.

That will fuel competition with Asian clients for the limited available global supply, and keep gas prices elevated.

While Italy is confident it will meet the European Union’s target for its gas buffer, several countries, including Germany, are rushing to fill their storage tanks.

In a message on an Italian energy markets platform, Edison said QatarEnergy would cancel a further six LNG cargoes, taking the total undelivered shipments to 35.

The Italian subsidiary of France’s EDF has replaced 23 cargoes so far, turning mainly to US suppliers to make up for missing deliveries from the Gulf.

Edison holds a long-term contract with QatarEnergy for the supply of 6.4 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year to Italy, around 10 per cent of the country’s total consumption.

The contract, which has been in force since 2009, has a total duration of 25 years.