The iPhone 17 Pro Max seems to be the favorite of those rushing to grab a new Apple device on the first day of preorders. Order this model now in the United States, and the wait for the delivery stretches out until October.
In contrast, the super-slim iPhone Air can still be ordered for delivery on launch day, September 19. The same is true for iPhone 17 Pro and the base model iPhone 17.
You’ll wait weeks for iPhone 17 Pro Max, but not iPhone Air
iPhone 17 Pro Max is Apple’s top-of-the-line new model, and that’s historically been the most popular among early adopters. It’s not unusual for the Pro Max variant to exceed Apple’s supply on the day preorders start.
But the iPhone Air is a completely new device. Whether millions of customers are interested in an ultra-slim iOS handset is unknown, especially with concerns about limited battery life — though these seem overblown.
Judging by early demand for these two models, more customers are interested in the iPhone 17 Pro Max. When preorders for it began early Friday, the online Apple Store listed the shipment date as September 19. Within an hour, those ordering the Pro Max from the Apple website discovered that most configurations of the top-of-line model wouldn’t ship until late September, and others won’t arrive before October. Two hours after orders began, the delivery windows for the most popular configurations range from October 6 through October 13.
In contrast, there’s no additional wait for any iPhone Air configuration. You can still buy one from the U.S. Apple store for delivery on September 19, hours after preorders opened this morning. The iPhone 17 Pro and the base model iPhone 17 remain available for delivery on September 19, too.
Not 100% definitive
However, judging overall iPhone demand from wait times on preorder days is a dicey business. Whether the shipping date for a new model slips depends on how many units Apple produced as much as it does on how many customers want to buy. Sill, Apple knows its customers and makes more of the Pro Max than it does for other models, according to analysts.
And the indication of demand disparity fits with the results of a poll in the most recent Cult of Mac daily newsletter. According to it, 25% of respondents plan to get an iPhone 17 Pro Max, while only about 4% are interested in the iPhone Air.
How to get an iPhone 17 Pro Max on launch day
Those eager to get an iPhone 17 Pro Max as soon as possible don’t necessarily need to wait until October for it, though. A check by Cult of Mac two hours after preorders began found units of the much-sought-after model available for pickup in Apple retail stores on September 19. That said, not every variant is still available for launch-day pickup in every Apple retail location. Those who live near a large city might need to hunt around to find an Apple Store with an allocation of the variant they want.
Also, Apple always reserves stock of new iPhone models for walk-in customers on launch day. Those who can’t preorder the iPhone 17 Pro Max can always go to an Apple Store on September 19, then stand in line and hope.
While the iPhone Air is something completely new, the iPhone 17 Pro also brings a pretty big redesign. Those still trying to decide between the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max and the iPhone Air can read the Cult of Mac buying guide that compares these two new models.