Apple to Reportedly Delay iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders

According to a fresh report from Macworld, Apple is preparing to break its standard Friday launch tradition by moving iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders to Saturday, September 12 at midnight.

For years, Apple has followed a strict pattern i.e. reveal the hardware during a mid-week keynote event, open digital storefront pre-orders on the following Friday morning, and begin retail deliveries a week later.

With Apple’s upcoming launch event scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, standard protocol pointed toward a pre-order launch on Friday. However, reports indicate that pre-orders will instead begin on Saturday. The shift away from Friday is not unprecedented. Friday, September 11, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. Apple generally avoids turning major national memorial days into high-profile commercial events

A similar situation occurred back in 2015 when the standard post-keynote Friday landed on September 11. At the time, Apple moved the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders to Saturday, September 12. Repeating that decision 11 years later allows the company to maintain standard product logistics without conducting massive consumer sales drives on a solemn national milestone.

Beyond the date change, the actual timing of the sale window is also undergoing a major tweak. Apple traditionally opens pre-orders at 5:00 AM Pacific Time (8:00 AM Eastern Time). This time around, sources claim pre-orders will open right as the clock strikes midnight Pacific Time on Saturday, September 12.

The revised pre-order schedule is expected to cover the flagship iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Joining the phones will be the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, along with updated accessories previewed during the keynote.