iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-order shipping: many configs already slip to October

3h ago

As of the Saturday evening Apple.com snapshot reported by 9to5Mac, many iPhone 18 Pro Max configs already show October delivery, while most Pros still hold September 18. Estimates move — verify your SKU before ordering.

Pre-orders for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max opened Saturday, September 12 ahead of the Friday, September 18 availability window. Within hours, online delivery estimates for many Pro Max configurations had already slipped past launch day — an inventory signal for anyone still deciding whether to order delivery or hunt pickup.

This is not another how-to-preorder checklist. Estimates move constantly; we could not scrape a live Apple Store SPA snapshot for every SKU on Monday morning, so the concrete windows below are attributed to the Saturday evening (U.S.) Apple.com delivery table reported by 9to5Mac, with Sunday follow-ups from still showing Pro Max tighter than Pro.

PhoneArena

Always re-check apple.com / the Apple Store app for your zip and config before you buy.

Snapshot: iPhone 18 Pro (as of Sat evening per 9to5Mac)

Most Pro configs still showed September 18 delivery. The notable early slips:

Burgundy 256GB and 512GB → September 24–29
Glacier / Black / Silver across storage → still September 18 in that table
2TB (all colors) → still September 18

Snapshot: iPhone 18 Pro Max (same table)

Pro Max is where allocation tightened fastest:

Burgundy 256GB / 512GB / 1TB → October 6–13; 2TB → September 18
Glacier 256GB / 512GB → October 6–13; 1TB → September 24–29; 2TB → September 18
Black 256GB → October 6–13; 512GB → September 24–29; 1TB / 2TB → September 18
Silver 256GB / 512GB → October 6–13; 1TB / 2TB → September 18

Pattern worth noting: across both sizes, 2TB still showed day-one delivery in that Saturday snapshot — expensive insurance if a specific color on September 18 matters more than storage.

What to do if your config slipped

Prefer in-store pickup when the Store app offers it; pickup pools are often separate from ship dates.
Recheck estimates later in the week — they can improve or worsen as allocation reshuffles.
Remember iPhone Duo is a different queue (pre-order October 16 / availability October 23); some buyers are waiting, which may help explain why Pro demand looked softer than typical open weekends in early reports.

U.S. starting prices remain $1,199 (Pro) and $1,299 (Pro Max) before storage steps and carrier / Trade-In math.

Sources: 9to5Mac shipping table (Sep 12 evening), PhoneArena demand / estimate follow-up, Apple Newsroom availability.