Apple’s release pattern for the iPhone series makes it easier to predict when the iPhone 16 line will launch. While there aren’t any official leaks yet, we can make some educated guesses on the announcement date, pre-order date, and shipping date for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Typically, Apple announces new iPhones in September, usually in the first or second week of the month, with a preference for Tuesdays. Based on this pattern, the most likely announcement dates for the iPhone 16 series are September 3 or September 10. However, Apple has been known to break tradition, as seen with the iPhone 12 announcement in October. As of now, the production of the iPhone 16 seems to be on schedule, so a delay is unlikely.
Following the announcement, Apple typically opens pre-orders for the new phones on the Friday of the announcement week. If the iPhone 16 line is announced on September 3 or 4, pre-orders will likely open on September 6. If announced on September 10 or 11, pre-orders will probably open on September 13.
The shipping date for the iPhone 16 series usually follows a week after pre-orders open. If pre-orders start on September 6, then the iPhone 16 will likely go on sale on September 13. If pre-orders start on September 13, then the phones will probably ship on September 20.
Based on past releases, all four expected iPhone 16 models are likely to be announced and shipped at the same time. However, production issues could cause delays, as seen with the iPhone 12 series. As of now, there are no reports of production issues with the iPhone 16 series, so delays are not expected.
In addition to the release date predictions, rumors about the prices and cameras of the iPhone 16 models have also surfaced. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the expected announcement dates.
