Overview
- Preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max opened on September 12 and in‑store sales begin September 18, but Apple and major carriers now list many configurations with ship dates stretching into late September, October and in some cases November.
- Reviewers praise the A20 Pro 2nm chip and the 48MP main camera with a mechanical variable aperture as meaningful camera and AI advances, yet many outlets call the Pro models an iterative upgrade that may not compel most iPhone 17 Pro owners to switch.
- Independent battery tests found real‑world runtimes well below Apple’s video‑playback claims, with Tom’s Guide reporting about 16:17 for the iPhone 18 Pro and 18:27 for the Pro Max in its lab test.
- Analyst Jeff Pu described Pro preorder activity as 'lukewarm' and cut his 2026 production forecast for the iPhone Duo to roughly 6 million units because hinge manufacturing limits are likely to constrain supply.
- Carriers and Apple are offering large trade‑in credits, financing and promotions to soften higher list prices, and analysts say the Duo’s tight early supply and Pro preorder behavior will be watched closely to gauge full market demand.