Updated
Updated · Yahoo Finance · Sep 23
UBS Sees iPhone 18 Demand Firming, Keeps $296 Apple Target With 13% Downside
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Finance · Sep 23

UBS Sees iPhone 18 Demand Firming, Keeps $296 Apple Target With 13% Downside

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Finance · Sep 23

Summary

  • UBS said iPhone 18 demand has improved slightly in early launch data, with Apple’s Pro and Pro Max wait times rising about 3 days and 2 days week over week.
  • Those longer waits narrowed the year-over-year gap to roughly 1 day, suggesting demand outside China is now close to flat versus last year rather than clearly weaker.
  • China remains the main weak spot in UBS’s channel checks, keeping the firm at a Neutral rating and a $296 price target versus Apple’s $339.75 close.
  • The Sept. 18 store launch means the data cover only the first days of the sales cycle, so upcoming wait-time and supply-chain readings will test whether the stabilization holds.
  • Analyst views still diverge: Evercore last week lifted its Apple target to $380 and kept an Outperform rating, underscoring debate over the iPhone 18 upgrade cycle.

Insights

Are rising wait times for the iPhone 18 Pro a sign of hidden demand, or just a mirage of better supply chain management?
With Chinese pre-orders doubling but analysts predicting a slump, who is actually right about Apple's most crucial market?
Could Apple's fragmented 2026 release strategy and missing AI features secretly be sabotaging its global smartphone dominance?