This September, Apple will hold a special event to celebrate the release date of the iPhone 18 Pro. This is as accurate as it gets because this is the daily routine that the company has followed every year since 2012. That’s why this story can help us identify this year’s special event quite clearly. This will also happen when the next iPhone software, iOS 27, is released following the recently released public beta – read this to find out whether you should install it now or how to uninstall it if you have bootloader remorse.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro – when will the successor be announced?
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iPhone 18 Pro release date: Apple history
I’ve researched the major release dates of every iPhone, starting with the very first one, to find clues about the release date.
The first iPhone was introduced in January 2007 and went on sale in June of the same year. The next three iPhones: iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 were announced and released in June 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively.
Then, on October 4, 2011, the iPhone 4S was unveiled, the last to be unveiled during Steve Jobs’ lifetime, and the first keynote hosted by Tim Cook. This was the first fall release – Apple has followed this pattern every year since then for its flagship iPhones.
I’ve been looking into the exact keynote dates for the next 14 years and I think this means Apple has certain rules in mind that could tell us when the next iPhone will be released.
iPhone 18 Pro release date: strict September window
After the iPhone 4S, all the major iPhone reports took place in the first half of September.
Every year since 2012, the iPhone keynote has always been between September 7 and 14, with one exception: 2020. This has been the year of Covid, and Apple’s keynote fell one day outside of that window, on Tuesday, September 15th.
Oh, and there was never a keynote on 9/11.
iPhone 18 Pro Release Date: Labor Day Factor
If you’re going to announce something in September, the public holiday that starts the month will always play a role.
This public holiday is an important part of Apple’s schedule. It’s not surprising – after all, if you have an event in September, you always need to take the holiday into account. Labor Day always falls on the first Monday in September, that is, between September 1 and September 7. Most often, Apple held its keynote exactly eight days after Labor Day: 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2025, because the company prefers to hold the event on a Tuesday.
Apple has never held a September event before Labor Day.
iPhone 18 Pro release date: no keynote the day after Labor Day
No matter what date Labor Day was, the keynote was always at least two days later.
It’s important to note that Apple has never held its keynote the day after Labor Day (the day guests, employees and press travel to Cupertino after the holiday).
iPhone 18 Pro Release Date: Keynote Date Certainly Definite
Although it has not been announced, confidential calendars in Cupertino will no doubt already mark the day.
In 2015, Labor Day fell on Monday, September 7th, just like this year. What did Apple do this year? He gave his keynote address on Wednesday, September 9th.
Despite what you may have heard, I am absolutely confident that this will be the date of this year’s main event.
iPhone 18 Pro release date: More dates for your calendar
After the keynote on September 9th, other dates fit into the schedule like clockwork. First, pre-orders will open next Friday, based on previous years. This means Friday, September 11th.
The exact times of day may change, but if they are the same as last year, pre-orders will open at 5am PT, 8am ET, 1pm BST (this is UK time, British Summer Time).
The thing is, pre-orders open at the same time no matter where you are, so no one will be able to take advantage of the promotions – although potential buyers in Apple’s hometown of Cupertino, for example, will have to get up early to buy their favorite model, color and memory size.
Some years, Apple adds additional information to allow customers to select their preferred model, add it to their cart, and leave it there so that when pre-orders open, they can buy the iPhone of their choice—an easy way to beat the line.
Next, iOS 27 will go into general release. This will almost certainly happen on Monday, September 14th, although it may be a day or two later. It’s clear that it will be a few days before the next iPhones go on sale.
And the first comments in the form of reviews from selected press will appear a few days before the phone goes on sale. I think it will be Tuesday, September 15th, although Wednesday, September 16th is also in the picture.
In fact, given the likelihood that the main report day will be Wednesday rather than Tuesday, the review date will most likely be moved to the second of those days. No reviewers will be able to see the new products until after the special event, so to allow maximum time for review, September 16th seems most likely. Along with the iPhone 18 Pro there will also be an iPhone 18 Pro Max and another wildcard – the first foldable iPhone, which may be called the iPhone 18 Ultra.
Whatever it’s called, this phone will almost certainly be announced at the same keynote, but there are conflicting rumors about when it will arrive.
For a new product category such as this, there may be a delay. Just as the iPhone X was announced alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in 2017, it’s possible that the iPhone Ultra will be unveiled on September 9 but go on sale a few weeks later.
Reviews of the foldable iPhone will likely appear days before it goes on sale. If there are no production delays, the review embargo will be the same as for the iPhone 18 Pro.
This will match last year’s schedule, when the review embargo for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air was lifted at the same time.
iPhone 18 Pro release date forecast
Even if the main show date this week is on a different day – and I say it isn’t – the iPhone 18 Pro sale date should be the same.
Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro will be perhaps the heaviest iPhone ever in the form of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and possibly Apple’s first foldable iPhone. It looks like the iPhone 18 Pro release date will be on Friday of next week, which is Friday, September 18th.
The exact time is most likely 7 am. I did not indicate the time zone, as you noticed, because it is offset. So, 7am in Australia will be one of the first places to pick up a new iPhone, Los Angeles will be one of the last – that’s 7am local time, no matter where you are.