When is the New iPhone Release Date?

Shoppers in need of a new iPhone know that Apple normally delivers a new iPhone release date this fall, but with rumors of new iPhone 6 screen sizes and big design changes more are asking us, “When is the new iPhone release date?” in Facebook messages and on Twitter.

For users that skipped the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S are starting to feel old, and even with the promise of an iOS 8 update this fall, there is a lot of attention placed on the new iPhone release date.

Apple normally announces a new iPhone and releases it two weeks later, sometimes with a pre-order in between to help shoppers get the new iPhone at home on release day. We expect a similar plan this year, but rumors suggest Apple will offer two new iPhones and the largest may not arrive at the same time as the 4.7-inch model.

This is a look at the new iPhone release date information that matters to consumers and comes from sources, that combined, deliver a realistic timeline for a new iPhone release.

Apple’s new iPhone name is not official, but based on Apple’s history it will likely be the iPhone 6. If Apple does offer a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch iPhone this fall, as rumors suggest the largest model may include a different name. We don’t know if it will be the iPhone Air as some suggest, of if Apple will pick a letter like it did for the iPhone 5c in 2013.

New iPhone Release Date Expectations

The new iPhone 6 release date will likely arrive in September 2014, two weeks after an Apple launch event. The beast guess is that Apple will host an event on September 2nd to announce the new iPhone and a collection of remaining iOS 8 features.

If Apple sticks with tradition we could see pre-orders start on September 12th at 12:01AM Pacific, but only the iPhone 5c was offered with a pre-order in 2013 so this is not a done deal.

The new iPhone release date may arrive on September 19th, nearly two weeks after the announcement. This window allows Apple to push the device into retail channels so that it can go on sale at Apple Stores, carriers and retailers like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target and Walmart.

That date is likely for a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 which rumors suggest is the new iPhone that Apple will deliver first and the one that most users will buy. A larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will likely arrive in October or November. The latest rumors suggest Apple is planning an iWatch event in October, which could time up well with the release of a larger new iPhone.

A German carrier told customers that the new iPhone release date is planned for September 19th. This is very specific and is likely a carrier prediction rather than an Apple timeline shared with a front-line customer service representative, but it is still a potential date.

Apple’s fiscal year ends on September 27, 2014 and typically we see the new iPhone release arrive early enough to count opening weekend sales on the final quarter of their fiscal year. Apple sold more than 5 million iPhone 5 units in 2012 and combined new iPhone sales topped 9 million with the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in 2013.

These dates are simply a best guess at when the new iPhone release date will arrive based on leaks and how we observe a typical iPhone release.

New iPhone Release Date Breakdown

Although the new iPhone release date rumors shifted dramatically in late 2014 and early this year, most analysts and sources agree that Apple plans a new iPhone for the fall and Apple’s iOS 8 release timing is a clear indicator of a fall iPhone 6 release.

Here are the new iPhone release date rumors that make sense for a 4.7-inch iPhone 6.

• New iPhone release date as early as September – Nikkei
• New iPhone release in August or September – Steve Milunovich UBS via Barrons
• iPhone 6 release in the fall – Andy Hargreaves at Pacific Crest via Business Insider
• New iPhone scheduled for third quarter 2014 – ZDNet Korea
• New iPhone release date in September, another later in the year – Ming-Chi Kuo via MacRumors
• New iPhone 6 in September – iFun
• New iPhone release in August or September – Economic Daily News
• New iPhone in September – Industrial Commercial Times
• New iPhone on September 19 –  apfelpage

It looks like the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will arrive at a later date. It may be due to issues getting the screen or battery ready, or simply a way to draw out the launch and excitement of a new iPhone. Although one source claims the largest iPhone is pushed to 2015, most sources agree that it will come a month or two later, but in plenty of time for the holiday shopping season.

• 5.5-inch iPhone 6 release date in October – Brian White of Cantor Fitzgerald via BGR
• New iPhone with 5.5-inch display in November – Peter Misek of Jefferies via MacRumors
• 5.5-inch iPhone 6 in late 2014 – Ming-Chi Kuo
• Larger iPhone 6 Release after 4.7-inch Arrives – Reuters
• 5.5-inch iPhone arrives later with same resolution – Steve Milunovich UBS via Barrons

Although there is not a specific date for the largest new iPhone we expect this year, the rumors suggest it will certainly arrive later than the 4.7-inch model.

If you are thinking of waiting for the new iPhone, whether it is the iPhone 6 or iPhone Air, you are not alone. Surveys suggest many shoppers are skipping the iPhone 5s to wait for a new iPhone release this fall.