The iPhone 14 should hit stores by the end of next month, and we no longer worry about potential release date delays. Apple would have mentioned any launch issues during its June quarterly earnings call a few weeks ago, as it did with the iPhone 12 two years ago.
We also think we know when Apple’s iPhone 14 event will take place, with September 13th looking like a potential launch candidate. But a trusted leaker now says that Apple might hold the event even earlier than usual in September.
A different insider claims that Apple has already started recording the various segments of the September press conference where the company will unveil the new iPhones and the Apple Watch Series 8 wearables.
The Apple way
Apple holds its iPhone press events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays in mid-September. Preorders start the first Friday after the event, and the handset releases a week after that. The new iPhones hit stores and ship to buyers on the second Friday, no exception. Even when some iPhone models were delayed, Apple kept the two Fridays rule.
With all that in mind, common sense dictates that the iPhone 14 release date is September 23rd. That’s the second Friday. Preorders would happen on September 16th, with the press event taking place on Tuesday, September 13th.
Last year, the iPhone 13’s dates were September 14th, 17th, and 24th.
Recording for the virtual launch event has started
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman penned a new edition of his Power On newsletter, where he addressed the imminent iPhone 14 launch. He said that sources told him that Apple has started to “record and assemble” its September media event.
Gurman did not offer an actual date for the event or a release date for the iPhone 14 series. But he said the keynote will likely take place in the first half of the month, “as usual.”
Furthermore, the Apple insider said Apple fans should only expect two new products at the show. The iPhone 14 — iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus/Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. And the Apple Watch Series 8, which will debut an Apple Watch Pro wearable that’s larger and more rugged than the regular variants.
Gurman did not offer additional details about the new devices compared to his previous leaks. The iPhone 14 Pro models will have an always-on display and a pill-and-hole notch at the top. All iPhones will feature better cameras. The Series 8 watches will feature a body temperature sensors but won’t come with a redesign. The Apple Watch Pro will deliver a titanium casing, a larger screen, and a larger battery.
Finally, Gurman speculates that Apple might hold an iPad and Mac even in October. The mixed-reality headset would drop early next year.
The early iPhone 14 release date
While Gurman did not provide specific dates for Apple’s iPhone 14 launch, preorder, and release, a different leaker reacted to his newsletter, offering a different take on the upcoming schedule.
According to Max Weinbach, the iPhone 14 event will happen a week earlier than expected. That’s September 6th (Tuesday) for the press conference and September 9th (Friday) for preorders. The iPhone 14 release date would be September 16th (Friday) as a result.
fwiw I heard September 6th event and iPhone’s on sale on the 16th
not 100% sure, but around there seems right. https://t.co/X2vbu2XyiC
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) August 7, 2022
If the dates are accurate, then Apple would avoid that September 13th date which might be considered unlucky. But then again, Apple unveiled the iPhone 12 series on October 13th. The iPhone 12 sold incredibly well, so the launch date doesn’t really matter.
This schedule would allow Apple to add three weeks of iPhone 14 sales in its September quarter, including the preorder week. The iPhone 14 is expected to sell much better than any Android flagship this year and outperform Android devices despite the economy.
That said, Apple should announce the iPhone 14 launch event about a week before the press conference. That comes down to August 30th for a September 6th keynote. Or September 6th for a September 13th launch event.
More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.
