Apple iPhone 18 Pro Release Timeline: New Date Enters The Schedule

Updated, Aug. 31: This article, first published on Aug. 29, has been updated to include more details of the schedule running up to the iPhone 18 Pro’s release, including exactly when each product is likely to land instore.

Apple is about to hold its biggest event of the year on Wednesday, Sept. 9, when the company will reveal the iPhone 18 Pro, in four new colors, it’s thought; the iPhone 18 Pro Max, perhaps with a bigger battery; and Apple’s first foldable iPhone.

Here’s what to expect when — down to the minute — including a new date and time predicted for when iPhone pre-orders will begin.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

AFP via Getty Images

Apple Special Event: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9 (Confirmed)

There’s a lot coming up, so I’ll let you know in this post what’s been confirmed already and what’s predicted. I’ll update this article as things change, so please check back.

We know when the keynote is happening at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, in Cupertino, where the company has its headquarters. It’ll start at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. U.K.

What isn’t confirmed is what will be announced, though it’s been reported that five products are absolute shoo-ins. These are the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the first foldable iPhone, which could be called the iPhone Ultra (though I don’t think it will be). The other two products look certain to be the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12.

We’ll also learn the pricing for the new iPhones — which may indicate whether the iPhone 17 will get pricier, too.

Since Apple took the surprise step of launching two new Mac chips and upgraded Mac mini and Mac Studio on Aug. 25 (full details here), there’s a lot more that could come at the keynote. Otherwise, why launch the Macs early? There could be new AirPods, though probably not the ones with cameras that Apple just confirmed. If there are other products, they could include a new Apple TV box.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Order Opening Date: 12 midnight Saturday, Sept. 12 (Predicted)

This is the surprise change from the regular schedule, and the reason why is clear to see.

Normally, Apple opens pre-orders at 5 a.m. Pacific on the Friday following the special event. But this year, Friday falls on Sept. 11, and what’s more, the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States. So, it’s no surprise that Apple looks like it’s showing respect for this by shifting the date of the pre-orders. As Mark Gurman from Bloomberg has pointed out, Apple has made this shift before when the planned event has fallen on this date.

But there’s another change to the time of day the pre-order will open.

“The time is also set to change, according to the source: While pre-orders usually begin at 5 am PT, Apple is reportedly opening up pre-sales at midnight PT on Saturday, MacRumors reported, referring to a source quoted by its German sibling publication, MacWelt.

That means pre-orders will open the second the clock chimes midnight as Saturday, Sept. 12 begins in the Pacific time zone. That means 3 a.m. Eastern, 8 a.m. in the U.K.

But it will only apply to the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Apple Watches and surprise extras, the same report claimed. “If you’re looking to buy one of the foldable iPhone Ultras, reports claim that preorders might not begin until late September,” it said.

That may be true, but I’d point out that there have been plenty of reports saying that the foldable will be available at the same time as the other products. My gut feeling is this will be the case.

iPhone 18 Pro: iOS 27 General Release 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14 (Predicted)

The day that the next-generation iPhone software is made available can vary by a day or two.

Apple’s iPhone software is released a few days before the new phones go on sale, so users of earlier phones can install it. iOS 27 is compatible with the exact same list of phones that could run iOS 26, that is the iPhone 11 onwards. Every iPhone from 2019 and later, in other words, will run the software that will be current until September 2027.

Some features will be restricted to the most recent handsets — Apple Intelligence is only for the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and later, for instance.

Software releases are usually timed for 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. U.K., but the first release of each cycle often lands a couple of hours earlier.

iPhone 18 Pro: First Reviews Appear On Tuesday, Sept. 15 Or Wednesday, Sept. 16 (Predicted)

Want to know what the new iPhones are like? Select media will receive them on the day of the keynote and their opinions will appear the following week.

The first opinions about the new iPhones will appear before the phones go on sale. Last year, the first reviews landed on the Tuesday before the on-sale date. This year’s keynote falls a day later, so it’s possible that the reviews will appear then, too.

But remember there will be other products announced at the special event, and they will have their own reviews. All need to appear before the products actually go on sale.

So, even though it gives reviewers 24 fewer hours to put their thoughts together, it’s still likely that the reviews will appear on Tuesday, Sept. 15. The timing, if it matches the schedule from last year, will be 5 a.m. Pacific, 8 a.m. Eastern and 1 p.m. U.K.

If that’s the case, then Apple Watch reviews will appear at the same time on the next day, Wednesday, Sept. 16. But it’s possible the order could swap.

The only wild card is the foldable. As mentioned above, if the foldable has a later release date, then the reviews for that will come a few days before it goes on sale.

iPhone 18 Pro On-Sale Date: 8 a.m. Local, Friday, Sept. 18 (Predicted)

The new products traditionally go on sale on the Friday in the week following the keynote and there’s no reason to doubt that schedule applies this year.

No need to give the time zones for the on-sale moment as Apple puts the new products on shelves at 8 a.m. wherever you are. You’ll realize that customers in Australia, for instance, can nab a new iPhone 18 Pro way sooner than buyers in California, thanks to the time difference.

Last year, Apple opened its stores early, at 8 a.m., and it’s thought that it will do the same this year. This happened with the iPhone X which was revealed at the keynote with the iPhone 8, but was held back from sale until November 2017.

It will come down to manufacturing capabilities, I believe — Apple isn’t trying to build the suspense here. Again, I think it will all happen at the same time, but there’s a chance the foldable will come later. All will be revealed at the keynote on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Whatever happens with the foldable iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are a shoo-in to be released on Sept. 18.