Now that we know all the details about the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and the new iPhone Air, it's time to ask the most important question: when can we get them into our hands?
Preorders for all of this year's iPhone models begin Friday at 5 a.m. PT. Then begins what feels like an endless slog before the new phones finally arrive (which, every year, is punctuated by the arrival of iPhone cases several days beforehand, as if to taunt us). So when, exactly, can we expect to see our favorite delivery person drive up with a phone-sized box? Or when can we pick up a new iPhone at a nearby Apple or carrier store?
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When will the iPhone 17 be released?
For nearly a decade, Apple has announced its new iPhone lineup in early September. The only exception was in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when the release was pushed back to Oct. 23 for the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, and Nov. 13 for the iPhone 12 Mini and 12 Pro Max.
This year has stuck to the tried-and-true schedule. After announcing the phones on Tuesday, preorders begin on Friday, and the first deliveries will arrive Sept. 19.
Here's a chart for the release dates of iPhone models through the iPhone 13 series; we've added the iPhone Air as its own category, even though it follows the same schedule as the iPhone 17, because Apple isn't giving it a version number:
iPhone release dates
| iPhone series | Announcement | Preorder | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone Air | Sept. 9, 2025 | Sept. 12, 2025 | Sept. 19, 2025 |
| iPhone 17 series | Sept. 9, 2025 | Sept. 12, 2025 | Sept. 19, 2025 |
| iPhone 16E | Feb. 19, 2025 | Feb. 21, 2025 | Feb. 28, 2025 |
| iPhone 16 series | Sept. 9, 2024 | Sept. 13, 2024 | Sept. 20, 2024 |
| iPhone 15 series | Sept. 12, 2023 | Sept. 15, 2023 | Sept. 22, 2023 |
| iPhone 14 series | Sept. 7, 2022 | Sept. 9, 2022 | Sept. 16, 2022 |
| iPhone 14 Plus | Sept. 7, 2022 | Sept. 9, 2022 | Oct. 7, 2022 |
| iPhone SE | March 8, 2022 | March 11, 2022 | March 18, 2022 |
| iPhone 13 series | Sept. 14, 2021 | Sept. 17, 2021 | Sept. 24, 2021 |
Will all of the new iPhones be released in September?
Apple is on track to release everything in the fall except its least expensive option. The iPhone 16E was released in February, and is still available as the least expensive iPhone model. Apple is widely expected to follow the same format for the rumored iPhone 17E in February 2026.
Apple's future iPhone release dates
Apple is expected to change its release format with the rumored iPhone 18. Reports suggest that Apple will only release higher-end models in fall 2026 -- iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Air and a rumored new foldable iPhone -- and release the rest of the line in winter 2027.
Why does Apple split iPhone release dates?
By pushing its top-of-the-line Pro and Pro Max models in September, Apple can capture much of the holiday shopping season. Releasing the more basic models in the winter allows a second crest of excitement, but diehard fans and holiday shoppers will have already spent their money on the pricier models in the fall.