Apple iPhone 18 Pro Release Date: Why A September 2026 Launch Looks Likely

Apple iPhone 17 Pro: when will the successor, the iPhone 18 Pro, launch?

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June 14 update. This post, first published on Saturday, June 13, was updated on June 14 with more details of the expected schedule that will lead to the launch of this fall’s iPhones.

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference fired the starting gun in the race to the next iPhone. The keynote that launched the conference on Monday, June 8 set in motion a timetable which will culminate in the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the first folding iPhone going on sale. Here’s all you need to know.

ForbesApple iOS 27 Release Date: When You Can Download The New iPhone Software — Starts NowBy David Phelan

iOS 27 Developer Beta Now Live

On the day of the keynote, Apple’s next software cycle, iOS 27, launched, with the first beta released to developers. This exactly matches the iOS schedule from last year, which means the iPhone release schedule is bang on target, for now at least, to mimic last year’s routine.

Apple also confirmed that the first public beta will go live in July, again syncing with last year’s schedule with iOS 26. This means the next date in the timetable may be deduced, and that’s the timing of the next special event.

Special Event Keynote: Likely Wednesday, Sept. 9

Last year, the keynote which revealed the iPhone 17 series was on Tuesday, Sept. 9. That week seems the most likely this year, but Monday, Sept. 7 is Labor Day, and Apple rarely holds a keynote on the day after a holiday. After all, it needs to fly press and special guests to Cupertino.

This means that the most auspicious date this year would be the Wednesday, of that week, Sept. 9. Note that this could change and the late Labor Day could theoretically push everything to the following week, likely on Monday, Sept. 14 or Tuesday, Sept. 15.

While that’s possible, I believe Apple will do everything it can not to let the keynote slip a week. After all, it means the iPhone would go on sale a…

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