iPhone 18 Pro proved less popular than iPhone 17 Pro
Apple has opened preorders for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but in the United States, the first hours were calmer than during many previous launches. Typically, delivery timelines for the most popular configurations shift forward by several weeks very quickly, but this time, shortages did not appear immediately.
About an hour after preorders began, all iPhone 18 Pro versions in the U.S. Apple Store could still be ordered for delivery on September 18, the first day of official sales. The iPhone 18 Pro Max models with 1 TB and 2 TB storage configurations remained available without delays.
Delivery delays began first with the lower-tier Pro Max configurations. The maroon iPhone 18 Pro Max with 256 GB storage was affected most quickly: within about half an hour, the delivery window shifted to September 29 – October 6, and within an hour it moved to 6-13 October. Subsequently, delays appeared for the 512 GB maroon version and some 256 GB models in other colors.
In other countries, the situation differed. For example, in the UK, delivery dates for the maroon iPhone 18 Pro with 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB storage were soon pushed to September 24. The 2 TB version remained available with delivery on the launch day.
The reason for this trend remains unknown. Among the possible factors cited are Apple’s more precise inventory planning, the high cost of new smartphones, and the overall economic situation. The iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable smartphone, could also affect demand. Preorders will open only on October 16, so some buyers may delay their choice until the new model is released.
At the same time, it is too early to draw conclusions about weak demand for the iPhone 18 Pro. Already on the first day, delivery timelines for several Pro Max configurations in the U.S. shifted to October, and some versions of the iPhone 18 Pro became unavailable for delivery on September 18. The data so far point more toward a less pronounced shortage during the initial hours of preorders than a lack of interest in the new smartphones.
