Missed the Pre-Order? The iPhone 18 Pro Is Now in Stores
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While we’re still going to have to wait until October for the iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went up for pre-order on Saturday, September 12. Those who were quick enough on the draw when they first opened should be receiving their new iPhone today, whether that’s a matter of waiting for the UPS driver to show up or picking it up at your local Apple Store.
By all reports, the pre-order rush wasn’t nearly as bad as it’s been in previous years. While the initial stock of the most popular models — the burgundy iPhone 18 Pro Max in 256 GB and 512 GB capacities — sold out within an hour of pre-orders opening on Saturday morning, that’s still slower than the years when we saw shipping dates slip into October after only two or three minutes.
However, even when pre-orders have moved at lightning speed, it’s always been possible to simply show up at your local Apple Store on launch day where you’re likely to find a reasonable number of the new models in stock. Apple always reserves stock for its stores, and this year is no exception. We’ve spot-checked key locations in the US and Canada for online availability, and it appears most folks shouldn’t have any trouble walking into an Apple Store today and getting the iPhone 18 Pro model of their choice.
As of this writing, all storage capacities and colors of both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are readily available for in-store pickup and even same-day shipping in many locations (for an extra charge).
You can also simply show up at an Apple Store and purchase one by walking in, but ordering online for pickup will likely make things much faster. I pre-ordered an iPhone 18 Pro Max on Saturday, opting for pickup at my local Apple Store at Yorkdale Mall in Toronto for 9 a.m. today, as it made more sense than waiting for UPS to show up. When I arrived, there was a lineup of about 50 walk-in customers outside the store. While it may depend on the individual Apple Store, picking up an online order should let you bypass all that, as it’s done by appointment.
If you don’t want to visit an Apple Store, paying an extra $9 will get you same-day delivery in most urban areas — usually around two hours — although it’s unclear when the cutoff for that is, so you’ll want to act fast.
It’s also unclear how long those stock levels will last. Higher-capacity 1 TB and 2 TB models will probably be around for a while, especially considering those are now selling for $300 and $500 more than their iPhone 17 Pro predecessors — a 2 TB iPhone 18 Pro Max will set you back $2,499.
Based on pre-orders, the most popular color appears to be burgundy, with the larger iPhone 18 Pro Max selling out faster than its smaller sibling, and the 256 GB model going the fastest of all.
Alongside the new iPhone 18 Pro models, Apple Stores also now have stock of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, as well as the new AirPods 5. You’ll also find a collection of cases and bands for the new iPhone and Apple Watch models — and plenty of the new models on display if you just want to kick the tires.
