Longer iPhone 18 Wait Times Signal Strong Demand, Says Gene Munster
Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management believes that longer iPhone 18 wait times are an early, favorable sign of strong demand for Apple's latest smartphone. According to Munster, average lead times across eight countries have climbed sharply since pre-orders began, reaching 2.6 weeks three days in.
This increase is significant, as it matches the same point last year when Pro models were at this stage. Munster notes that part of the increase reflects a shift in pre-orders from Friday to Saturday, which put more buyers online at once.
Bank of America's tracking shows similar trends, with global average ship times for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max dropping compared to last year. However, BofA cautions that this metric is 'directional rather than directly comparable' due to various factors that may be shortening wait times without reflecting stronger demand.
Munster and technology analyst Dan Ives have previously stated that Apple's price increases have caused minimal customer churn, giving the company room to keep raising prices without affecting demand. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max prices rose by $100 each at this year's launch, while the new foldable Duo launched at $1,999, below Wall Street's expectations of $2,099.