Here’s when you can pre-order the iPhone 17

CUPERTINO: Apple’s next iPhone is coming, and if the leaks are right, we’re getting four of them this year: the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and a brand-new ultra-slim model that insiders are calling the iPhone 17 Air.

Alongside those, Apple Watch fans might see the Series 10, a beefier-screened Apple Watch Ultra 3, and maybe even AirPods Pro 3. But the big question is: When can you actually get one?

If history repeats itself, Apple will send out invites for its September keynote about two weeks before the big day. That keynote is widely tipped for Tuesday, September 9 at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, kicking off at 10 am Pacific (1 pm Eastern, 6 pm UK).

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While there’s still a sliver of uncertainty, Apple loves to keep us guessing, multiple reports, including one allegedly based on leaked German carrier data, point to that date.

Pre-orders

Once the lights go down and Tim Cook does his thing, the iPhone 17 lineup will be fully official by lunchtime. That’s when the countdown to pre-orders begins. Apple almost always opens pre-orders the Friday after the keynote, which this year would land on September 12. Expect the Apple Store to flip the switch at 5 am Pacific (8 am Eastern, 1 pm UK).

If you’re serious about being first in line, Apple sometimes offers a “pre-pre-order” window the night before, basically letting you lock in your model, colour, and storage so all you need to do is hit “buy” when sales open.

Not all iPhone 17 models likely to ship on release day

Release day should be Friday, September 19, when the first wave of buyers will unbox their shiny new iPhones. That’s usually 7 am for physical Apple Store pickups.

But not every model may ship on day one. In past years, certain versions, like the iPhone XR in 2018 or the iPhone 12 mini, hit stores weeks later. If the iPhone 17 Air is truly a new category, it could follow the same staggered schedule.

Reviews from big-name tech outlets will likely drop a few days before release, probably September 16 or 17, once Apple’s review embargo lifts.

iPhone 17 availability in Pakistan

For Pakistan, where iPhones arrive through “authorised distributors” instead of an official Apple Store, expect local availability to lag. Early units could pop up by late September, but most buyers may not see stock until early or mid-October. As usual, patience (and possibly a little extra cash) will be part of the deal.

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