Apple iPhone 18 Pro Pre-orders See Lukewarm Initial Demand

Apple Inc. opened pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max on September 12, with initial deliveries scheduled for September 18. Early shipping estimates have sparked debate among analysts, with some reporting shorter global average ship times compared to the iPhone 17 cycle. Specifically, Pro Max lead times dropped from 25 days to 18 days, though U.S. Apple Store estimates have since slipped into early October.

Market analysts from GF Securities characterize the initial demand as "lukewarm," noting that the iPhone 17 Pro Max reached similar wait times more quickly after its launch. While the new Burgundy color is the most popular choice, Silver models in higher storage tiers are available immediately. Wait times for popular 256GB and 512GB configurations currently range from three to four weeks, while the 1TB model has a shorter two-week window.

Observers attribute the slow start to several factors, including price increases—with the Pro starting at $1,199 and the 2TB Pro Max reaching $2,499—which Apple linked to ongoing RAM shortages. Other contributing factors include limited hardware upgrades, device weight, and consumer anticipation for the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable phone, which opens for pre-orders on October 16 with prices up to $3,199. Additionally, Apple has postponed the release of its base and Air models until next year, focusing this cycle exclusively on the Pro lineup.