Brace for a pricier upgrade. Signs are mounting that the iPhone 18 Pro lineup won't come cheap this September, with memory shortages, costlier processors and an upgraded camera system on the Pro models all cited as reasons a hike is now essentially locked in.
Apple already raised prices on the iPad, Mac and Apple TV by $100 to $200 in recent weeks to cope with the same supply pressures, and a comparable jump on the iPhone side could push the Pro Max's starting price up to $1,199 or $1,299 from its current $1,099.
The company's rumoured first foldable iPhone is expected to land in even steeper territory, likely above $2,000, pitched as a premium alternative to Samsung's own foldable, which currently starts at $1,900.
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When The Keynote Could Happen
Turn to the calendar, and Apple's own habits do a lot of the guessing for you. The company has held its fall keynote every September since 2011 without exception, and has never scheduled it for the day immediately following Labor Day, even though Tuesdays remain its go-to weekday for the event historically.
This year, with Labor Day landing on September 7, that rules out September 8, leaving Wednesday, September 9, as the strongest candidate, a date that also matches separate predictions naming September 8 or 9 as most likely.
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Announcement, Pre-Orders And Store Availability
Apple has typically announced its keynote date two weeks in advance since 2021, which would put the formal confirmation around August 26. This year's event also carries a symbolic first: incoming CEO John Ternus, who officially takes over September 1, is expected to host an Apple keynote for the first time.
Assuming the usual rollout cadence holds, pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and two new Apple Watch models would open on September 11, with devices reaching store shelves the following week on September 18. Whether the rumoured foldable iPhone launches alongside them or arrives later remains unclear.
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