Updated Aug. 26 with confirmation of the next keynote and how that affects the release date of iPhone 17.
At 9 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday, Aug. 26, Apple sent out invites to its next special event. This is when it’s expected that Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 series, plus new Apple Watches and maybe something else. The keynote will be on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific, which is 1 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. U.K. Here’s what that means for the rest of the release schedule, with details of what’s expected to be coming and when .
The road to the release of an iPhone is a carefully choreographed series of events. As soon as one is unveiled, more fall into place. I’ve been touting Aug. 26 as the date and time of the first announcement, so it means that the schedule below is looking more likely than ever.
In full disclosure, I was a little eager with the exact time. I thought it would be around 8 a.m. Pacific, 11 a.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. U.K. time. In fact, Apple kept us on our toes for an extra hour. That said, I’m confident with how the rest of the schedule will go, times down to the minute.
Below, you can see an updated version of the full schedule – I’ve left the predictions intact but have now annotated them to say if they were right or not, and will continue updating this post as more items are confirmed.
Apple’s next slew of iPhones will go on sale in September, almost certainly less than four weeks from now. Here’s your complete guide to what’s coming, including times to the minute.
The iPhone 17 series is expected to be the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and an all-new super-slim model, possibly called iPhone 17 Air. Remember that it’s not the only product Apple will launch this September. There will also be at least two, possibly three, new Apple Watches. These will be Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and possibly Apple Watch SE third-generation. They will be announced at the same keynote and almost certainly go on sale on the same release date.
1. Apple Announces Keynote Details
Date and time expected: 8 a.m. Pacific, Tuesday, Aug. 26
This is now confirmed, though, as mentioned above, it was at about 9 a.m Pacific.
Apple likes to make a splash with its announcement that a special event is coming. If it sticks to the same timetable as previous years, Aug. 26 will be the day, two weeks before the keynote.
Wednesday, Aug. 27 is also possible, but Tuesday is the favorite. That said, whichever date it is, assuming it’s in the same week, as I’m certain it will be, the rest of the schedule (pre-orders, software release, reviews and release date) will be unchanged.
2. Apple Keynote
Date and time expected: 10 a.m. Pacific, Tuesday, Sept. 9
This is now confirmed, for this date and time, and will be at the Steve Jobs Theater as expected.
I’ve been calling Sept.9 as the date for more than two months now, and everything seems to be on track. The day before, Monday, Sept. 8 is just possible, but I’m sure Tuesday is the day.
The venue will almost certainly be the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, Apple’s Cupertino headquarters.
3. Pre-Orders Open
Date and time expected: 5 a.m. Pacific, Friday, Sept. 12
Expect confirmation of this on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
Once the keynote has revealed all the secrets for the new iPhones, from the names to the specs to the prices, the next date is when pre-orders will open. Even if there is sometimes an offer where prospective buyers can put their chosen models in the shopping bag online the day before, to be ready to go the next day, pre-orders always open on the Friday after the keynote for most of the products announced.
4. iOS 26 General Release
Date and time expected: 10 a.m. Pacific, Monday, Sept. 15
Expect confirmation of this on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
The software that will power the new iPhones, and all models right back to the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, will go on general release this day or, possibly, Tuesday, Sept. 16. Occasionally, the software goes live a little earlier in the day, but please remember to practice patience — a lot of people will be downloading it at the same time. It will be installed on all the new iPhone 17 handsets.
5. The First Reviews
Date and time expected: 6 a.m. Pacific, Tuesday, Sept. 16 or Wednesday, Sept. 17
This won’t be confirmed until the reviews actually appear.
The first clues to what the press think will appear before the release date. It is usually on the Tuesday before release, which will be Tuesday, Sept. 16. The time varies but in recent years it’s been 6 a.m Pacific, 9 a.m. Eastern, 2 p.m. U.K. It’s possible it could be the Wednesday instead, though Tuesday is favorite, I’d say. The Wednesday, Sept. 17, is likely to be when the reviews of the new Apple Watches will appear. Same time of day.
6. The Big Day: iPhone 17 Release Date
Date and time expected: 7 a.m. local time, Friday, Sept. 19
Expect confirmation of this on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
This is it: the iPhone 17 series will hit stores and go on general sale. Unlike the other parts of the puzzle, this will be timed differently according to where you live. Australia and New Zealand are among the first places to open Apple Store doors, California rather later. Look out for photos from the Australia Apple Stores appearing during the day.
