iPhone 18 Pro Launch: Apple Confirms Keynote And Full Schedule Here
https://www.forbes.com/video/e2fb7658-d57e-4a46-aecd-36033a133db4/
Updated, Aug, 27: This article, first published on Tuesday, Aug. 25, has been updated with further details of the new iPhone schedule before it goes on sale.
Apple has taken the first public step in a journey that will end when the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the company's first foldable, whatever that turns out to be called, goes on sale.
Below are the moments to watch for. And you can read a full run-down of the expected schedule here .
Apple confirms its special event.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro: Invites Confirmed
Apple has confirmed its September special event. Luckily, it's on the date I've been predicting since May (details below). The keynote was confirmed on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern and 6 p.m. U.K.
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Apple sent invites to members of the media and special guests, with the cryptic phrase "Surprise and Shine" and an image, which everyone can have fun trying to decode.
That decoding has already begun with Mark Gurman from Bloomberg posting on X : "What I am seeing: - Shining light = mechanical aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro Max - Sky Blue color = Possible new iPhone 18 Pro color."
Gurman is right to focus on the color as this is almost always something Apple reveals in the invite. And observers have been predicting a blue iPhone 18 Pro.
Often, the invites are more colorful but the expectation is that the iPhone 18, which usually comes in more colors than the Pro versions, will be held until spring 2027, when it will earn its own invite.
I'm less persuaded that the mechanical aperture predicted to be part of the phone's camera is tipped in the invite. While I believe it will happen, I'm not convinced that is what the graphic is trying to convey.
The invite revealed exactly when and where the iPhone announcement will take place.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro: The Keynote Date Confirmed
Again, as I had thought, the event will be on Wednesday, Sept. 9, exactly two weeks after the invites were sent out. Almost to the minute, in fact, because the keynote will start at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern and 6 p.m. U.K.
There had been rumors that it would be on Tuesday, Sept. 8 but I felt that was impossible: Apple has literally never held an iPhone event on the day after Labor Day. Well, it's not breaking that tradition now.
It will take place in the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, the company's Cupertino, California HQ.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro: The Keynote Details Confirmed
Unless there's a break with tradition, the keynote will last anywhere between one and two hours and is likely to follow a prescribed format.
It will begin with a live introduction from the stage by Apple CEO John Ternus, his first go after he'll replace Tim Cook on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Cook will become Apple's executive chairman.
After the introduction, Apple will screen its keynote movie, a high-production-quality affair with special effects and every detail of each new product.
It's possible there will be more live elements than before, perhaps as a way for Ternus to indicate that things are changing while still showing continuity.
As well as the iPhones, expect the event to reveal two new Apple Watches. There had been rumors of new Macs, but Apple announced them on Tuesday, Aug. 25 — full details here .
Apple iPhone 18 Pro: Pre-Orders Begin (Predicted)
The next date in the calendar after the keynote will be the opening of pre-orders. Usually, this is on the Friday after the keynote.
However, since the Friday in question is Sept. 11, a date Apple has respectfully avoided since 2001, and since this year is the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it's believed that the pre-orders will open on Saturday, Sept. 12 instead.
The exact timing, if previous timetables are followed, will be at 5 a.m. Pacific, 8 a.m. Eastern, 1 p.m. U.K.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro: iOS 27 General Release (Predicted)
The new iPhones will come pre-loaded with the next cycle of software, iOS 27 (although that doesn't rule out the possibility of a day-one update, which has happened several times in recent years).
The most likely date, I believe, will be Monday, Sept. 14, though the following day is also a possibility. As for timing, I'd expect it could be a little earlier in the day than the usual iOS release timing (10 a.m. Pacific). This could be as early as 8 a.m. Pacific, 11 a.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. U.K.
Whatever time it is, please practice patience. There are always huge numbers of people who want to update as soon as they can so Apple's servers, even with extra capacity laid on, may require a bit of a wait.
Additionally, please note that iPhones from iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max onwards will be able to run Siri AI, and access to this is likely require users to sign up to a waitlist.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro: The On-Sale Date (Predicted)
Unless there's an upheaval to the timetable, Apple will put the new phones on sale on the Friday of the week after the keynote, which means the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the first foldable iPhone will land in stores on Friday, Sept. 18.
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This article was originally published on Forbes.com
