September has officially arrived, and with the new month comes the end of summer and the beginning of a busy fall for Apple. In the weeks ahead, there are several key dates to anticipate for Apple fans, even beyond the major iPhone 17 event set for September 9.
Tuesday, September 9: Awe Dropping event
Apple’s annual fall keynote kicks off at 10 am PT/1 pm ET on Tuesday, September 9. The company is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, including the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, alongside Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3.
Other announcements will likely include new AirPods Pro 3, TechWoven iPhone cases, Crossbody Strap accessories for iPhone 17 cases, and a redesigned Apple Clear Case. We should also expect new Apple Watch band styles and colors.
Chance Miller and I will be on location at Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park for this year’s iPhone/Apple Watch event. Look out for our hands-on coverage of all the new hardware from Cupertino shortly after the keynote livestream concludes!
Following the event, developers and public beta testers should expect the release candidate builds of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26. This will probably happen around 12:30 pm PT/3:30 pm ET. Xcode RC typically arrives at the same time, and App Store Connect usually opens for iOS 26 submissions that afternoon.
During the keynote, we should also learn when Apple plans to officially release iOS 26 and the other software updates, including new versions of HomePod and AirPods software.
Friday, September 12: iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11 preorders
Friday morning at 5 am PT/8 am ET, Apple is expected to open preorders for iPhone 17 models and new Apple Watch hardware. Expect carriers to roll out updated trade-in promotions ahead of time. Customers using the iPhone Upgrade Program can usually complete pre-approvals in the days leading up to preorder morning.
The official shipping versions of iOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and other fall software updates are likely to arrive early the following week. In recent years, Apple has pushed the updates on the first Monday after the iPhone event, and the same cadence is expected this time.
... continue reading