Goldman Sachs says that the strong demand for Apple’s newly released iPhone 15 devices is encouraging. Apple released its new iPhone 15 range on Tuesday and started taking pre-orders in more than 40 countries last Friday. Devices will be available from September 22 and expanded to 21 more markets on September 29. Goldman stated in a note on Monday that there are currently delays of more than eight-weeks for certain phones in some regions. This suggests that the demand exceeds supply. The company has given its shares a buy-rating. The firm’s $216 price target for shares represents a 23.4% increase from Friday’s closing. Analyst Michael Ng stated that the company views the longer lead times of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro as a sign of increasing consumer demand, and a possible increase in price/mix. However, it is also aware that there are few details about the supply, and this could be affected by supply chain constraints. Separately, we are encouraged by US carrier offers for the iPhone 15 series of devices. These appear to be largely in line with last year’s and offer consumers the opportunity to pay for the full price of a phone through a trade-in. Verizon and other major carriers are running promotions to support the iPhone 15. Ng pointed out that many of the more attractive promotions require customers to be on the latest, most expensive plans. Ng says that mainland China has some of the longest lead-times for the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max. Lead times for the Pro are currently around 4.5 week, and the Pro Max is anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks depending on the color. Ng said, “Although there are caveats when extrapolating lead times for consumer demand, we are encouraged by the strong demand that appears, especially in light of increased competition from Huawei.” Apple shares rose more than 2% on Monday afternoon. The stock has gained nearly 38% in the past year. Michael Bloom, a CNBC reporter, contributed to this article.