iPhone 14 release date speculation: Here’s when we might see the new iPhone

There’s a lot about the iPhone 14 that we have a pretty clear idea of ​​ahead of its launch later this year. But what about the iPhone 14 release date? There haven’t been any concrete leaks yet, but we can work out a timeline based on previous launches.

To date, leaks regarding the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models have focused on features. Pro offerings are likely to ditch the signature iPhone notch in favor of a pair of cutouts, for example, and the iPhone 14 Pro could see its main camera move to a 48MP sensor. Meanwhile, the mini model of the past two years is expected to give way to the iPhone 14 Max, a 6.7-inch version of Apple’s standard iPhone.

Although unofficial, these details seem pretty solid. The iPhone 14 release date is more of a mystery, with most Apple watchers referring to an undisclosed fall launch date. The boldest forecasters will speculate on a September launch window, largely because that’s when Apple typically introduces its new phones.

While the release date rumors haven’t surfaced yet, we don’t have to wait for them to do so to make any educated guesses as to when the iPhone 14 might appear. While Apple keeps a lot of the details close to its vest, it has a particular scheme of doing things that makes it fairly easy to pin down an exact date, even before rumors can confirm whether we’re on the right track.

Here’s a look at when Apple might set an iPhone 14 release date based on how the company has handled recent iPhone launches, plus other issues that might factor into the timeline. of the iPhone 14.

iPhone 14 release date: When previous iPhones launched

No one knows what the future holds, but Apple’s recent past holds clues to what might come out of Cupertino and when. Here’s a quick recap of when Apple has scheduled the last eight iPhone launches.

Your pattern recognition skills don’t need to be sharp to spot the trend in this chart. In all but one year since 2014, Apple announced its iPhones in September. Even more specifically, this announcement usually comes in the first two weeks of September.

There was one exception, and that’s 2020. You may recall that the first year of the coronavirus pandemic disrupted a lot of manufacturing that year, the iPhone included. Apple has therefore postponed its iPhone 12 launch event to October 13.

That wasn’t the only unusual thing about the iPhone 12 launch. Apple also had to stagger the release of its newly announced models. Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were released 10 days after the launch event, but the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max didn’t ship until November.

The iPhone 12 launch was actually the third time Apple has staggered its phone versions. The iPhone XR appeared a month after the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max in 2019, while the iPhone X only appeared in early November 2018, almost six weeks after the launch of the iPhone 8 and of the iPhone 8 Plus.

In 2021, things are back to normal with all four iPhone 13 models shipping at the same time (although there have been supply issues, especially for the iPhone 13 Pro models during the summer season). holiday shopping). Until Apple or rumor mongers suggest otherwise, let’s assume that a single launch date for all iPhone models is Apple’s preferred way of doing things.

Again, looking at the chart above, you notice a trend. Apple tends to time its phones to actually launch 10-11 days after unveiling them to an expectant world. While there are exceptions – iPhone 6s and 6s Plus shipping later than this timeframe – you’d expect the iPhone 14 to fall into a similar pattern.

iPhone 14 release date: when you think Apple will announce its phones

With no definitive rumors about the iPhone 14 release date, we only have Apple’s past history to go on. And this story indicates that Apple will hold an event in the first two weeks of September 2022 to showcase the iPhone 14 models.

Another thing worth knowing about Apple is that it prefers to hold its press events on Tuesdays whenever possible. This is significant in terms of an early September launch event, as the first Tuesday in September – September 6 this year – falls immediately after Labor Day in the United States. Since Apple generally doesn’t like having a three-day weekend before its big product launches if that helps it at all, that rules out September 1st. 6 as a potential date for the iPhone 14 event.

So if you buy into the ideas that 1) Apple is hosting its iPhone events in early September; 2) Apple loves Tuesdays when it’s time for product events; and 3) Apple won’t do anything right after Labor Day, leaving just one day in which the iPhone 14 could debut.

We assume the iPhone 14 was announced on September 13. If Apple sticks to its track record or releases the phone around 10 days later, that puts September 22 as the tentative release date for the iPhone 14, which could be the day the new models hit stores. .

We’d like to point out – there’s nothing official about this date, and it could change as more information leaks out about Apple’s iPhone plans. But if you want to make your plans now, September 13 seems like an ideal date to pay attention to what’s happening in Cupertino.

iPhone 14 release date: potential delays

Nothing is written in stone on the iPhone 14 release date, of course, though later leaks confirm or disprove our guesses. Things can happen that can push the iPhone 14 launch later than expected, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for one issue in particular.

Despite the relaxation of mask mandates and other Covid-19 measures, the pandemic is not over and cases could rise again. Take a look at China, where entire cities have been locked down as Covid-19 cases rise. This is particularly relevant to Apple’s iPhone 14 plans, since the phone is assembled in China.

Earlier in April, the city of Zhengzhou locked down some areas near iPhone manufacturing facilities operated by Foxconn, raising fears that production of the iPhone 14 could face delays. However, subsequent reports indicate that Foxconn’s facility in Zhengzhou is operating normally. Nonetheless, any changes could impact the iPhone 14 release date.