Pre-orders for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max opened at 5 a.m. PT today, Saturday September 12, which is 12:00 UTC everywhere at once. Apple’s own buy page put it in one sentence ahead of the clock: “Choose your new iPhone today, then speed through checkout when pre-order starts at 5:00 a.m. PT on 9.12.” That sentence is the only mechanic Apple has published for today, and it is now live.
Everything else visible on the page is the configurator: two models, four finishes, four storage tiers, a trade-in prompt, a connectivity choice and a way to pay. iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max reach stores Friday, September 18, with 20 more countries and regions following on Friday, September 25.
Key facts
| Item | What Apple publishes |
|---|---|
| Pre-order opened | 5 a.m. PT / 12:00 UTC, Saturday September 12, 2026 |
| Availability | Friday, September 18, 2026, in more than 65 countries and regions |
| Second wave | 20 more countries and regions, Friday, September 25 |
| Starting price, iPhone 18 Pro | $1,199 with a carrier selected at checkout, $1,299 unlocked |
| Starting price, iPhone 18 Pro Max | $1,299 with a carrier selected at checkout, $1,399 unlocked |
| Education store | Same buy-page sentence, same starting prices, no separate discount published |
The sentence Apple put on the page
The exact wording appears on the US buy page, on individual configuration URLs, and on the main iPhone 18 Pro marketing page, which shortens it to “Pre-order starting 5:00 a.m. PT on 9.12 Available starting 9.18.” Apple’s education store carries the identical checkout sentence and the same “starting from $1,199” figure as the consumer page. Apple has not published a separate education discount amount for iPhone 18 Pro.
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What the page is actually selling
The page presents a choice of model, a choice of finish, a choice of storage, a prompt to trade in a device, a connectivity decision, and a way to pay. Apple’s own disclosure covers the price split directly: “Connectivity discounts are reflected in the advertised price of select iPhone models, and are available to customers who connect with select carriers at the time of purchase.” Buying iPhone 18 Pro unlocked, using the button Apple labels “Connect on your own later,” costs $100 more at every tier than the price shown when a carrier is attached.
The starting prices, by connectivity
| Model | 256GB, carrier-connected | 256GB, unlocked |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro | $1,199 | $1,299 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | $1,299 | $1,399 |
Apple never prints that $100 figure as its own line item on either page. It is the arithmetic behind the two headline numbers: $1,199 in Apple’s press release and $1,299 on the individual configuration URL for an unlocked 256GB iPhone 18 Pro. The iPhone 18 Pro Max carries the same $100 gap at its own starting tier.
What the page does not show
Apple has published no named queue or waiting-room feature for this pre-order, no feature it calls “Express checkout,” and no statement that a saved configuration carries into the order once the clock starts. It has not said whether a buyer needs to be signed in before 5 a.m. PT, and it has not stated when a card is authorized versus charged. The closest published mechanics sit in Apple’s retail sales policy, which says Apple may refuse or cancel any order or limit order quantity, and that an order confirmation email does not itself signify acceptance of the order.
What Apple has not said
Apple has not published a queue mechanism, an order limit outside specific storefronts, a sign-in requirement, or a statement on saved bags carrying into checkout. Community accounts of a “prepare your device” routine exist only on Apple’s own user forum, which is user-generated content rather than Apple documentation, so it is unverified community reporting, not fact.
As of this morning, September 12, the only Apple-published mechanic is the one sentence on the buy page. iOS 27 arrives free on Monday, September 14, and the phones themselves reach stores Friday, September 18.
