iPhone 18 Pro could still reach buyers on launch day

Apple officially opened preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max early Saturday morning. The first 24 hours, however, suggested demand for the two premium smartphones was not exceptionally strong.

Estimated delivery dates on Apple’s US online store have slipped beyond Sept. 18, when the new iPhones are scheduled to reach customers. So far, however, the delays remain relatively modest.

Notably, some iPhone 18 Pro configurations are still available for launch-day pickup for customers who choose to collect their devices directly from an Apple Store.

Apple Store availability indicates that the iPhone 18 Pro Max is attracting more interest than the iPhone 18 Pro. Online delivery estimates for the larger model now range from Oct. 6 to Oct. 13, depending on the configuration.

Customers may not necessarily have to wait until October, however. Some iPhone 18 Pro Max configurations remain available for pickup at Apple Stores from Sept. 18, largely avoiding the online delivery delays.

Availability varies by color and storage capacity. The 256GB model currently has no in-store pickup option.

The 512GB iPhone 18 Pro Max in Black and Glacier, meanwhile, remains available for pickup.

The 1TB version is available in every color except Burgundy, while all color options of the 2TB model can still be collected in stores.

For the smaller iPhone 18 Pro, Apple currently estimates online deliveries between Sept. 26 and Oct. 6.

More significantly, every color and storage configuration of the model remains available for Apple Store pickup from Sept. 18.

Is weak availability pressure a bad sign for iPhone 18 Pro?

Compared with last year’s iPhone 17 Pro generation, the iPhone 18 Pro appears to be attracting considerably less attention during the initial preorder period.

Last year, delivery estimates for the iPhone 17 Pro Max slipped by around three weeks just hours after Apple opened preorders. The iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, meanwhile, remained available for launch-day delivery.

The relatively abundant supply of the iPhone 18 Pro could therefore raise questions about whether the model is struggling to attract buyers.

It is far too early, however, to draw that conclusion.

Shipping estimates are often treated as an indicator of demand for a new iPhone, but they are not a precise measure of actual sales.

Delivery times are certainly affected by the number of preorders, but they also reflect Apple’s production capacity and how much inventory the company prepared ahead of launch.

In other words, the fact that the iPhone 18 Pro remains available relatively quickly does not necessarily indicate weak demand.

Apple may simply have prepared more units this year, giving it enough inventory to satisfy early buyers without significant delays.

Initial reports on Reddit also suggest that the preorder process was relatively smooth. Most users reported no major difficulties, although some encountered minor issues such as duplicate orders or unexpected error messages that delayed checkout.

Seeing the relatively broad availability of the iPhone 18 Pro, some Reddit users have also suggested that Apple customers may be holding off for the company’s foldable iPhone Duo.

Is this a difficult year to sell an iPhone Pro?

Another factor that could influence the iPhone 18 Pro’s appeal is its place in Apple’s broader iPhone strategy this year.

Although Apple has delayed the standard iPhone 18 until next spring, the iPhone 18 Pro is still seen as one of the less dramatic premium iPhone upgrades of recent generations.

Compared with the iPhone 17 Pro, the new generation does not deliver a major enough leap in design or features to make an immediate upgrade compelling for every existing user.

The prospect of more distinctive products in the future could add further pressure.

The iPhone 20, expected to arrive during an anniversary year for the smartphone, is rumored to feature a major design overhaul.

If those reports prove accurate, iPhone 17 Pro owners may decide to keep their current phones for another year rather than spend money on the iPhone 18 Pro.

Then there is the iPhone Duo, Apple’s foldable model, which is expected to represent the biggest change to the iPhone form factor since the iPhone X.

Despite a rumored starting price of $1,999, the device could hold particular appeal for buyers interested in experiencing an entirely new iPhone design.

The iPhone 18 Pro’s $100 price increase over its predecessor adds another consideration.

For buyers with larger budgets, the price difference could make the iPhone Duo another option to consider rather than spending on an iPhone Pro with a relatively familiar design.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max, on the other hand, continues to offer a clearer value proposition.

Following its price increase, the model now starts at the same price as Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Its starting price also matches the Pixel 11 Pro XL at $1,299, while its performance is expected to be considerably stronger than Google’s flagship.

Hai Phong