It’s fun to speculate on which features the new iPhone 17 lineup will have, but what we really want to know is when we can get our hands on Apple’s latest editions of its flagship smartphone. As we get closer to September and the traditional announcement date, iPhone rumors are arriving more frequently.
Once the rumored iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, Pro and Pro Max are revealed, we’ll be able to confirm speculation about colors, display, cameras and more. We’ll also learn how much the new iPhone will cost, which is also still up in the air, thanks in part to looming tariffs.
Based on previous releases, the new iPhone will be announced in September, but the exact dates for the announcement, preorder and release are still the subject of speculation.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Possible iPhone announcement date
One recent leak points to Apple holding the iPhone 17 event on Sept. 9. German site iPhone-Ticker claims that it gained access to internal documents from a local carrier, and even though the sourcing cannot be confirmed, that release date lines up with existing rumors and expert opinion.
We’ve sifted through the whispers, analysis and guesses so you can make a date to get your hands on the new iPhone.
Read more: Should You Buy an iPhone 16 or Wait for the iPhone 17?
When will the iPhone 17 be released?
For nearly a decade, Apple has announced its new iPhone lineup in early September. The only exception was in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when the release was pushed back to Oct. 23 for the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, and Nov. 13 for the iPhone 12 Mini and 12 Pro Max.
In his Power On newsletter on July 13, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that the announcement should come on Sept. 9 or 10.
The supposed leak reported on by iPhone-Ticker lines up with expert opinion, so you might want to mark your calendar for Sept. 9 if you want to catch the new iPhone event.
We cannot verify these dates because we don’t have access to the internal documents iPhone-Ticker is sourcing. But if these leaks are true, they suggest that preorders for the iPhone 17 will begin on Sept. 12, with a Sept. 19 release.
Here’s a chart for the release dates of previous iPhone models:
Previous iPhone release dates
| iPhone series | Announcement | Preorder | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16E | February 19, 2025 | February 21, 2025 | February 28, 2025 |
| iPhone 16 series | September 9, 2024 | September 13, 2024 | September 20, 2024 |
| iPhone 15 series | September 12, 2023 | September 15, 2023 | September 22, 2023 |
| iPhone 14 series | September 7, 2022 | September 9, 2022 | September 16, 2022 |
| iPhone 14 Plus | September 7, 2022 | September 9, 2022 | October 7, 2022 |
| iPhone SE | March 8, 2022 | March 11, 2022 | March 18, 2022 |
| iPhone 13 series | September 14, 2021 | September 17, 2021 | September 24, 2021 |
Here’s a chart for the potential dates based on past schedules. These are not official dates from Apple:
Potential iPhone 17 schedule
| Announcement | Preorder | Release |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, September 3 | Friday, September 5 | Friday, September 12 |
| Tuesday, September 9 | Friday, September 12 | Friday, September 19 |
Will all of the new iPhones be released in the fall?
Based on last year’s release, Apple may release everything in the fall except its least expensive option — this year, the iPhone 16E. The iPhone 16E was released in February, and Apple is widely expected to follow the same format for the rumored iPhone 17.
That would mean the iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Air and the iPhone 17 base model — if that’s the lineup — would be released in September. The iPhone 17E — if it exists — would be released in February.
Apple’s future iPhone release dates
Apple is expected to change its release format with the rumored iPhone 18. Reports suggest that Apple will only release higher-end models in fall 2026 — iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Air and a rumored new foldable iPhone — and release the rest of the line in winter 2027.
Why does Apple split iPhone release dates?
By pushing its top-of-the-line Pro and Pro Max models in September, Apple can capture much of the holiday shopping season. Releasing the more basic models in the winter allows a second crest of excitement, but diehard fans and holiday shoppers will have already spent their money on the pricier models in the fall.
