Early preorder delivery estimates for Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max suggest a more restrained launch than last year’s Pro Max, according to analyst Jeff Pu. Popular 256GB and 512GB configurations are showing waits of three to four weeks in many cases, but higher-capacity models vary sharply by finish.
The start is lukewarm.
Jeff Pu
- Selected 256GB and 512GB iPhone 18 Pro configurations: three to four weeks.
- Some Silver 1TB and 2TB configurations: available for immediate delivery.
- Black 1TB and 2TB configurations: one to two weeks.
- Glacier 1TB and 2TB configurations: one to two weeks.
- Burgundy 1TB and 2TB configurations: three to four weeks.
The longer estimates for Burgundy models may indicate stronger demand for that finish, while Silver stock appears more readily available. Still, shipping windows reflect both customer orders and Apple’s inventory allocation, so they should not be read as direct sales figures.
For context, the iPhone 17 Pro Max reached similar three-to-four-week delivery estimates just one day after preorders opened last year. Preorders for the current Pro generation began on September 12, with availability starting September 18.
Pu attributes the softer initial signal to relatively limited upgrades and higher prices, but Apple’s upcoming iPhone Duo could be another factor. Preorders for the company’s first foldable are set to begin later, potentially prompting some buyers who would normally choose a Pro model to wait. The eventual split in demand between the Pro range and the iPhone Duo remains the key unanswered question.
