iPhone 18 Pre-Orders Delayed for Many Israeli Consumers

Many Israeli consumers who pre-ordered the new iPhone 18 have yet to receive their devices, despite placing orders in advance of the September 18 launch. While some customers received their phones promptly, a significant number are still waiting. Retailers attribute the delays to limited initial stock allocated by Apple to Israel. They are distributing available devices according to the order queue, with some retailers having informed customers at the time of purchase that delivery could take up to 60 days.

Retailers' policies and customer commitments vary. Dynamica's website states that pre-order positions are maintained based on the chosen model, color, and storage capacity, with distribution commencing on September 18, subject to Apple's stock availability. iDigital also confirmed that Apple globally determines the stock allocated to Israel, and they supply customers in order as inventory arrives.

Cellcom reported that most customers have received their phones and the rest will get them in the coming days. Warehouse stores committed to delivery within 60 days, while Partner stated that all pre-orders placed so far have already been fulfilled.

Haim Zaguri, CEO of iStore, noted a faster delivery rate for the premium iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, with approximately 60% of initial orders fulfilled. The average delivery time for these models has been around 9 days, significantly less than the estimated 30 business days initially communicated to customers. He added that additional stock is arriving regularly according to allocations, and customers are directly notified upon arrival.

Logistical efforts have been intensified, with thousands of Pro and Pro Max units arriving last week and being processed for delivery the same day to expedite shipments. Similar efforts are expected to continue, with the expectation that most pre-order customers will have received their devices soon.

External factors also contributed to the delays. For the first time, Israel's local launch coincided with the global release. Apple provided only one initial shipment to Israeli distributors, leading to extended waits for those who did not receive their phones on launch day.