The iPhone 17 Pro Max seems to be the favorite of those rushing to grab a new Apple device on the first day of pre-orders. Order this model now in the U.S., and the wait for the delivery stretches out until October.
In contrast, the super-slim iPhone 17 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.
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 pre-orders start.
But the iPhone Air is a new model. 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. In an hour, those ordering the Pro Max from the Apple website discovered that most configurations of this 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 are from October 6 through October 13.
In contrast, there's no additional wait for any iPhone Air configuration. It can be purchased from the U.S. Apple store hours after pre-ordering began for delivery on September 19. The iPhone 17 Pro and the base model iPhone 17 can still be ordered for delivery on September 19, too.
But note that judging iPhone demand from wait times is a dicey business. Whether the shipping date for a new model slips depends on how many units Apple produced as much as how many customers want to buy. But Apple knows its customers and makes more of the Pro Max than it does for the other models, according to analysts.
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.