The big smartphone launches of the summer are already here. Nothing unveiled the Phone 3, a brand-new flagship with an unusual design. Samsung just launched the ultra-thin Galaxy Z Fold 7, the thinner Flip 7, and the cheaper Flip 7 FE. Next up is Google. The Pixel 10 series should be unveiled in mid-August, following a similar schedule to last year’s Pixel 9.
But the most anticipated smartphone launch event of the summer remains Apple’s iPhone 17. Every year, Apple holds an iPhone launch event in the second week of September, which is also when preorders start. A week after preorders, the new iPhone hits stores and ships to buyers.
Apple won’t announce the iPhone 17 keynote for several weeks, but we already have an idea of when to expect it. The week of September 8 seems likely, Mark Gurman says.
The Bloomberg reporter might have some inside information to back up that claim, but any loyal iPhone user could probably predict the next iPhone launch event. A quick back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests September 19 is the likely release date for the iPhone 17 series.
Gurman reminds us in his latest Power On newsletter that Apple typically holds its annual iPhone launch event in the week following Labor Day in the US. Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1 this year, so the week of September 8 is the most likely window for the iPhone 17 keynote.
Apple traditionally unveils the latest iPhones and other products on a Tuesday or Wednesday. That makes September 9 and September 10 likely options for the announcements. The event can take place on a Monday as well, but that’s rare.
What matters more is the preorder and release dates for buyers planning to get an iPhone 17 this year. Regardless of when the launch event falls during the week of September 8, preorders will begin on the first Friday after the event. That’s September 12, when buyers around the world will rush to place their orders.
The iPhone 17 release date will be the first Friday after preorders start. If the timeline above holds, that’s going to be September 19.
I’ll point out that Apple will want as much time as possible in September to sell iPhone 17 units. Those sales will count toward its September quarter earnings.
The iPhone 17 lineup
This year’s new iPhone lineup will be more exciting than ever. Apple is set to launch an ultra-thin iPhone, the so-called iPhone 17 Air, replacing the Plus size. That’s the model I’ll be going for, no matter the compromises. Then again, a recent leak suggested the iPhone 17 Air might feature nearly the same hardware as the Pro models, except for the rear camera, which only has one sensor.
The iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max will join the Air. The base model is getting more exciting too, with a 120Hz display, which is a first for the cheapest non-Pro version.
Price hikes might also be coming this year. After years of keeping iPhone prices steady, Apple might raise prices for all iPhone 17 models, or at least for some of them.
Apple is also expected to launch new Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 models during the iPhone 17 event. They’ll likely share the September 19 release date with the new iPhones, assuming the timeline holds.
