AAPL Steady Ahead of iPhone 18 Pro Launch and Carrier Promotions
Apple's (AAPL) daily outlook on September 18, 2026, shows a price of $333.97, up 0.47% from yesterday. The stock has been trading sideways at $332 for seven weeks in a flat base with a buy point of $344.57, according to IBD.
The iPhone 18 Pro launch day is today, after its reveal on September 9 under new CEO John Ternus. Carrier promos are strong, with up to $1,200 trade-ins ($100 higher than last year), which BofA says offsets the price hikes for the Pro model.
JPMorgan tracking shows global lead times of seven days for the 18 Pro, compared to 15 days for the 17 Pro and 19 days for the Pro Max. However, US Pro Max sales are slightly ahead of last year, while China is down sharply (13/21 days vs 30/30).
Today is considered a real demand test for Apple's new iPhone models. While carriers are helping to make them more affordable, analysts are watching China and the waitlist for foldable Duo models closely.