What To Expect When And Where
Updated Sept. 2 with more details and extra dates for your iPhone 17 release calendar.
Now the calendar has rolled into September, at last it’s possible to say it: the new iPhone is out this month. Here’s everything you need to know, including details of the software that will be released at the same time as the hardware, or a little before.
The keynote is the next date to look forward to, and along with the date and time, you’ll find details of how to watch it below. Then, how and when to pre-order, when to be ready to download the new iPhone software, and more.
Tim Cook is about to introduce his next Apple special event…
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Apple iPhone 17 Keynote
Date, time and place: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m. Pacific, Steve Jobs Theater
The next special event is nearly here. It will, almost certainly, be a pre-recorded video introduced by CEO Tim Cook. And it will feature, indubitably, four new iPhones, at least two Apple Watches and perhaps new AirPods. The phones will be the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and a super-thin model possibly called iPhone 17 Air.
It will be screened in the 1,000-seater Steve Jobs Theater in the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, to press and special guests.
If you didn’t get your invitation (what an oversight!), don’t worry, you can tune in to the simultaneous broadcast. Here’s how.
The official YouTube livestream is here. Or go to the Apple TV app on your Apple TV, iPad, Mac or iPhone. Finally, go to apple.com/apple-events. Right now, this has a placeholder and you can add this to your calendar.
There will be plenty of press coverage on the same day, with press at the theater grabbing hands-on photos and video in the special area just outside the auditorium — it’s an area that is tantalizingly hidden by huge metallic walls before the event, which slide back just before it ends.
Apple iOS 26 Release Candidate
Date and time Tuesday, Sept. 9, 12 p.m. Pacific — to be confirmed
The last software release before the next iPhone OS is out will likely happen as soon as the keynote finishes, or at least at some point on the same day.
Apple iPhone 17 Pre-Orders
Date and time Friday, Sept. 12, 5.am Pacific — to be confirmed
This will be announced at the keynote, but it’s likely to be the same as last year, that is, early on the Friday after the unveiling.
You may be able to get in early by logging on to apple.com the night before and choosing the items you want, to place them in the shopping bag ready for Friday’s pre-orders going live.
This is a simple way to get ahead of the line to ensure you can hone in on your chosen model, color and storage capacity. Apple doesn’t always offer this, and there’s not yet any indication of whether it will happen this time around. If it does, it’ll be the evening of Thursday, Sept. 11.
iOS 26 General Release
Date and time Monday, Sept. 15, 5.am Pacific — to be confirmed
This is the software that will work with the iPhone 17 series and all iPhones right back to iPhone 11, so if you want to try the new software on an older phone before deciding if you’re going to buy a new one, this is the day.
The new software is in public beta right now, but will be available to all, likely on the Monday after the keynote. It seems to be in good shape now, so it could even come earlier.
Apple iPhone 17 Onsale Date
Date and time Friday, Sept. 19, 7.am local — to be confirmed
We’ll know this information at the keynote, too, but it’s always a Friday, and usually first thing, wherever you are.