Apple introduced that its iPhone 16 launch occasion will happen on Monday, September ninth, which is an uncommon day of the week for iPhone launches. Might Apple additionally change the preorder and launch dates from the same old Fridays following the launch occasion?
It appears unlikely, contemplating Apple’s slightly strict guidelines about launching new iPhones. However this isn’t a regular 12 months for the iPhone, and Apple may need to promote the iPhone 16 as quickly as potential. Plus, there’s a report that already presents different preorder and launch dates for the iPhone 16 than we count on.
We anticipated the launch occasion to occur on September tenth, a Tuesday. All experiences mentioned that was when Apple would announce the iPhone 16 sequence. Preorders would begin on the primary Friday after that, September thirteenth. The second Friday (September twentieth) would turn out to be the iPhone 16’s launch date.
There’s a presidential debate set for September tenth, and that’s in all probability why Apple went for a Monday occasion. I mentioned earlier this week that I nonetheless count on preorders to begin on September thirteenth. The telephone will probably be available in shops on September twentieth.
Nevertheless, I additionally famous that Apple might do issues otherwise this 12 months. It has each cause to do it. iOS 18 would be the first iOS launch to pack native AI options. Whereas Apple Intelligence will in all probability launch a bit later, it’ll be an enormous promoting level for the iPhone 16 telephones.
As a reminder, solely the iPhone 15 Execs can run Apple Intelligence. Many individuals, myself included, will improve to the iPhone 16 to get entry to Apple AI.
Apple is operating behind Google with regards to genAI options constructed into cell working methods. As for Google, the Pixel maker tried to benefit from Apple’s place by shifting the Pixel 9 launch to mid-August. That’s two months forward of the anticipated schedule. For the primary time, the Pixel flagships will probably be accessible to consumers earlier than the most recent iPhone launches.
Equally, Samsung launched its 2024 foldables a lot sooner than anticipated. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 additionally include just a few new Galaxy AI options on prime of what Samsung unveiled in January.
All of that places stress on Apple. It might clarify why Apple would entertain a change in sample.
A machine translation of a report from the German weblog Macerkopf provides us totally different preorder and launch dates for the brand new iPhones. The weblog says they heard preorders will begin on Thursday, September twelfth. The iPhone 16 would launch in shops per week later, on September nineteenth, which can be a Thursday.
The German weblog doesn’t specify the supply of the rumors, so I gained’t give it an excessive amount of credence. However once more, 2024 is a unique kind of 12 months for Apple. The iPhone 16 might very nicely launch earlier.
How a lot of a distinction would an additional day of iPhone gross sales make? Beginning gross sales on a Thursday as an alternative of a Friday may seem to be a minor element for consumers. However that may add a day of iPhone gross sales to Apple’s September quarter.
Apple bought virtually 232 million iPhones in 2023, which introduced in $200.58 billion. That offers us a median of 635,000 iPhone gross sales a day price round $550 million. I’d count on Apple to promote much more iPhones in the course of the first preorder weekend. Subsequently, day by day will certainly depend.
Moreover, I’ll level out a latest report from Counterpoint Analysis. The agency expects Apple to prime $400 billion in international income in 2024, a primary for the corporate. Robust {hardware} gross sales will assist Apple attain that milestone, the agency mentioned. That features iPhone 16 gross sales.
The graph above exhibits that Counterpoint Analysis expects Apple to promote about as many iPhones this 12 months as final 12 months. The iPhone 16 sequence might account for an enormous chunk of that.
Lastly, I’ll point out Mark Gurman’s tidbit about Apple’s earlier-than-usual iPhone 16 assembly. Apparently, it’s occurring as early because the night of September twelfth slightly than subsequent Sunday. The insider posted his data on X just a few days in the past. It didn’t imply that a lot by itself, however mixed with all the opposite info above, it hits otherwise.
What I’m getting at is {that a} Thursday begin for iPhone 16 preorders and in-store gross sales makes loads of sense, regardless of how shocking it’d sound to longtime iPhone house owners.
