Has Apple inadvertently shot itself in the foot? Demand for iPhone 18 appears subdued

Apple's iPhone Duo appears to have stolen the spotlight. Or so one might think, as pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max appear to have gotten off to a considerably weaker start than in previous years. Roughly one hour after the US pre-order window opened on September 12, every color and configuration of the standard iPhone 18 Pro was still showing on-time delivery for September 18. In contrast to the historically rapid sellouts and delivery-date slippage associated with new iPhone launches, the lack of delays suggests demand has been less intense than expected. At the time of writing, only the 512 GB iPhone Pro in Silver has a significant delay, namely 2-3 weeks. 

The Pro Max lineup is performing somewhat better. Its 1TB and 2TB models showed no delays at all, while lower-capacity versions, starting with the 256GB burgundy option, began slipping to later delivery windows within the first hour. At the time of writing, the majority of configurations and colors now show shipping times of 2-3 weeks, save Black and Glacier in 1TB and 2TB and Burgundy in 2TB.

Possible factors given for the weaker-than-usual demand include economic pressures, Apple’s decision to open pre-orders on a Saturday, and consumer interest in the upcoming iPhone Duo. The foldable is scheduled to enter pre-orders in October, potentially giving some buyers another reason to wait. It remains equally plausible, however, that Apple has simply produced more inventory than usual, meaning the muted early figures may reflect improved supply rather than weaker demand. Lastly, early pre-order activity alone cannot establish how the phones will perform over the full sales cycle.