Apple could move iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders to Saturday: September 12 instead of Friday

One report says Apple could open iPhone 18 preorders on Saturday, September 12, 2026, not on its usual Friday schedule.

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If that happens, the reason is pretty easy to guess. Moving preorders by a day would help Apple avoid landing on the 25th anniversary of September 11, and the same report says orders could even go live at midnight PT rather than Apple’s usual 5 a.m. PT window.

There’s some precedent here. Apple reportedly made the same Friday-to-Saturday switch for the iPhone 6s back in 2015. The company’s September 9 “Surprise and shine” event is still expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone, which may end up being called the iPhone Ultra. Reports also say the Pro models are still on track to hit stores on September 18.

The foldable is the wildcard. Reports have suggested Apple could push it back to December, or roll it out in the US first, even though the rumored hardware already sounds pretty specific: a 7.7-inch inner display and a 5.3-inch outer one.

Apple may also split the iPhone 18 rollout across the year. The standard iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and a second-generation iPhone Air could be held for spring 2027, while leaks tied to the Pro models point to a variable-aperture camera, a C2 modem, a smaller Dynamic Island, an A20 Pro chip, and a Dark Cherry finish.

If you’re planning to buy an iPhone 18 right when orders open, this is the kind of schedule change to keep an eye on. And if it does happen, Apple’s online store will probably be the first place you’ll need to be.