Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Demand Holds Strong Despite Moderating Lead Times
J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee believes Apple is experiencing 'healthy' demand for its iPhone 18 Pro, despite lead times moderating only marginally from last week. In Week 3 of the company's Product Availability Tracker, lead times for the iPhone 18 Pro remained flat at 23 days, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max decreased by one day to 29 days.
Chatterjee notes that high lead times this far into a cycle are not uncommon, but the limited moderation suggests demand remains strong. The analyst compares the current situation to last year's iPhone 17 series and finds that the iPhone 18 Pro is 'modestly ahead' globally, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max is 'modestly below'. However, in the US, lead times for both models are 'in line with prior year levels', with the iPhone 18 Pro tracking ahead of last year at 21 days.
Chatterjee also observes that the iPhone 18 Pro is now available for pick up in-store, except for the Burgundy variant. In contrast, all variants of the iPhone 18 Pro Max remain unavailable for pick up. The analyst's Overweight rating on Apple reflects his confidence in the company's product lineup.