Six years of Apple announcements

When should we expect the iPhone 18 Pro event, and when will Apple officially announce the date? Apple hasn’t sent invitations yet, but its announcement history gives us a remarkably consistent window.

Apple’s iPhone event announcement dates: 2020–2025

Apple has announced its annual iPhone event two weeks in advance for four consecutive years. Here’s when Apple announced each of its last six iPhone events, plus what those dates suggest for September 2026.

The pandemic disrupted Apple’s regular iPhone event schedule in 2020 and 2021. The iPhone 12 event moved to October, and Apple provided only seven days’ notice for both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 events.

Since 2022, however, Apple has been remarkably consistent. Every iPhone event has been announced exactly 14 days before the presentation.

When is the iPhone 18 Pro / iPhone Ultra event?

Apple hasn’t officially announced the next iPhone event date, but Wednesday, September 9, is currently the leading possibility.

Apple offered its first official clue this week when it opened applications for US retail employees to work its Event Support Experience Program in California. The company told employees that the event will occur during the first half of September.

Bloomberg suggests that Wednesday appears slightly more likely because Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7. A Wednesday event would preserve the workday travel window Apple has historically provided attendees.

When will Apple announce the new iPhone event?

If Apple holds its event on September 9 and maintains its four-year pattern, it would announce the date exactly two weeks earlier on Wednesday, August 26.

That makes August 26 the strongest prediction for Apple’s iPhone 18 event invitation. Tuesday, August 25, remains another possibility, but it would create a 15-day gap rather than continuing Apple’s recent 14-day pattern.

What to expect at Apple’s September 2026 event

This year’s product lineup should make the event unusually significant. Apple is expected to unveil three new flagship iPhones: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone, possibly called iPhone Ultra.

Noticeably absent will be the standard iPhone 18. Apple is expected to split its release schedule beginning this cycle, saving iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 for spring 2027.

September is also when Apple traditionally unveils new Apple Watch hardware. AirPods sometimes join the presentation as well, although they aren’t guaranteed to receive annual updates.

The event will mark another first for Apple. John Ternus becomes CEO on September 1, while Tim Cook moves to executive chairman of the board. That will make this the first iPhone event of the Ternus era.