Apple Phone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Release Schedule: Countdown Updated on September 1 with News About a Different Pre-Order Date and What That Practically Means.
The iPhone 16 series—which includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max—is almost here. Here’s your complete guide on what I think will happen before Apple officially confirms anything. A new report claims that one item in the upcoming schedule will change this year: the date pre-orders open. Instead of launching the iPhone 16 series for pre-order on Friday, September 13, it will be Thursday, September 12, according to the German site Macerkopf. The reasoning behind this isn’t clear. We can rule out superstitions about launching the phone on Friday the 13th; Apple has often said they aren’t superstitious, even naming a phone iPhone 13 to prove it.
And the fact that the keynote is a day earlier than many expected isn’t a good enough reason. However, I think there is a reason to trust the site on one point: last year, there was an option to choose your desired iPhone online the day before the event. Orders began like this: you could pick the iPhone you wanted up until 9 p.m. Pacific Time the night before, choose the model, and leave it in your online cart, ready to hit the buy button the moment pre-orders began. This was a great way to jump the line. I strongly expect Apple to do the same this year, meaning pre-orders will start on Friday, September 13, but you can get everything ready the night before.
Aside from that, the iPhone release follows a clear process, starting with Apple announcing the keynote and ending with iPhones landing in consumers’ hands.
Apple sends out official invites for the special event
This happened on Monday, August 26, confirming the date and time when the new products would be revealed for the first time.
Confirmed!
Apple’s Special Event
We learned on the day invites were sent that the event would be at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino on Monday, September 9, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
A little brag: I predicted the event would be on Monday, while everyone else thought it would be Tuesday, September 10. Check out my reasons here. Excuse my excitement; this might be the last time I get a scoop like this.
Confirmed!
Pre-orders begin
This date is usually predictable. It typically falls on the Friday a week before the sales date, which is the week after the keynote. This year, that means Friday, September 15. The time is subject to change, but last year it started at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, 8 a.m. Eastern, and 1 p.m. UK time.
Apple releases iOS 18
This often happens in the same week as the keynote, but I bet it will be on the following Monday, September 16, around 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, and 6 p.m. UK time.
If your iPhone can run iOS 17, it will also be able to run iOS 18, as the compatibility list is identical and goes back to the iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, and iPhone Xr.
iPhone reviews appear
This will likely be early in the week after the keynote, separate from Apple Watch reviews. The press will get their hands on the iPhones shortly after the special event, and reviews could appear on Tuesday, September 17, or Wednesday, September 18, starting at 6 a.m. Pacific, 9 a.m. Eastern, 2 p.m. UK time, although this timing could change.
Apple iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro go on sale
Almost without exception, Apple puts iPhones on sale the Friday of the week following the keynote. Rumor has it everything is on schedule this year, so I believe this means Friday, September 20. The time is usually early morning local time, around 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. wherever you are.
And after that, we start getting ready for the release of iPhone 17!