Apple iPhone 16 Release Date: New Report Hones In On Precise Date

Apple iPhone 16 Release Date: New Report Hones In On Precise Date

Updated August 25 with new report from 

Mark Gurman.

It’s no secret that the iPhone 16 series is coming soon. But when, exactly? The date that everyone is looking out for is that of the keynote, the Apple Special Event when the company will hold court at the Steve Jobs Theater, part of its Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California. And the latest report seems to confirm the date of that. Or does it? I have questions.

I’ve written already that I’m convinced the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will go on sale on Friday, September 20. “Apple Inc. is planning to hold its biggest product launch event of the year on Sept. 10, when the company will unveil the latest iPhones, watches and AirPods, according to people familiar with the situation,” says Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman..

That seems probable, but I think other dates are still in play. And Gurman has since posted on X with comments that lead me to believe September 10 isn’t set in stone. Alarm bells started ringing for me when I realized that there would be a clash with the first televised Presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Frankly, that’s bound to dominate the news cycle all day long and into the next day. Might Apple want to reschedule? And if so, to when?

Given that September 11 is a date Apple has always avoided, there are two other possible days that week: Monday, September 9 and Thursday, September 12.

Apple reserves Monday keynotes for just one time of the year, WWDC in June. Could the debate mean it’ll make an exception for this year?

As for the Thursday, Gurman has just said on X, “Apple has scheduled an unusual and mandatory meeting for employees at all Apple retail stores for the evening of Sept 12 or morning of Sept 13. This would be ahead of the iPhone 16 release a week later — but pre launch meetings are typically held on Sundays not during the week.”

To my mind, that makes September 12 seem too tight a fit for the keynote to take place as well. In fact, because Apple is bringing the staff meeting forward, it suggests to me it could bring the keynote forward, too. I’m inclining towards Monday, September 9 as a strong possibility—though I realize I’m on my own here.

Gurman goes on, “Though the timing hasn’t yet been announced, the company is making preparations for that date, which falls on a Tuesday, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. The unveiling will be followed by the phones going on sale Sept. 20, in line with Apple’s typical approach in recent years.”

I’d just add that in talks with Apple across the years I’ve heard the company say how it hates to be predictable. Several reports suggest Apple is bang on schedule, or even ahead, with iPhone production, which also suggests it’s possible things could go sooner this year.