Updated

Updated · TechRepublic · Sep 1

Apple May Shift iPhone 18 Pro Preorders to Sept. 12 as Foldable Launch Splits Schedule

Updated

Updated · TechRepublic · Sep 1

Apple May Shift iPhone 18 Pro Preorders to Sept. 12 as Foldable Launch Splits Schedule

Q: Why is Apple abruptly abandoning its traditional Friday preorders and delaying its standard iPhone 18 models until spring 2027?

Apple does not appear to be “abruptly” changing course for one single reason; the reporting points to two different drivers. The likely reason for moving preorders off Friday is symbolic and calendar-based, not operational. If Apple sticks to its usual pattern after the Sept. 9 event, preorders would open on Friday, Sept. 11, which in 2026 is the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Multiple reports say Apple is shifting preorders to Saturday, Sept. 12 to avoid that date. There is precedent: Apple did the same in 2015 when iPhone 6s preorders would otherwise have fallen on Sept. 11. The reported delay of the standard iPhone 18 models until spring 2027 looks more strategic. Several outlets and supply-chain signals suggest Apple is splitting the iPhone calendar into two seasons: premium models in the fall, lower-cost models in the spring. The reasons cited are manufacturing efficiency as the lineup expands, pressure on key components such as memory, and the cost of advanced parts like TSMC’s 2nm chips. A supplier comment about a major U.S. customer pushing a launch into early 2027 has been widely read as indirect support for that plan. There is also a commercial motive. Launching only Pro models and a foldable this fall would steer early upgraders toward Apple’s highest-margin devices at a time when analysts expect price increases and tighter component supply. Apple has confirmed only the Sept. 9 event; the preorder dates and spring delay remain unannounced.

3 articles · Updated · TechRepublic · Sep 1

Sept. 12 could become Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro preorder date, with Macwelt via Macworld reporting a rare Saturday opening after the company’s Sept. 9 launch event.
Sept. 11 falls on the usual Friday slot, likely prompting the shift; the reported order window would also open at an unusual midnight Pacific instead of Apple’s typical 5 a.m.
The foldable iPhone—widely rumored as the iPhone Ultra—may not join the Pro models immediately, with reports pointing to later-September preorders amid possible production constraints.
September may focus only on Apple’s premium phones, while the standard iPhone 18, 18e and next iPhone Air are reportedly delayed until spring 2027.
Prices are also expected to rise: analysts see $100 to $300 increases for Pro models, while the foldable is rumored to cost about $2,000 to $2,500.