iOS 8 Release Date Falls into Place with iPhone 6 Rumors

A new iPhone 6 event leak just laid the ground for the iOS 8 release date in mid-September. So far there is no official announcement from Apple, but the timing lines up and could lead to an iOS 8 release date in just about 40 days.

Even though the iOS 8 release date and OS X Yosemite release date are not tied together, the iPhone and iOS releases are linked because the new iPhone delivers exclusive iOS features.

A new report outlines when Apple plans to hold a new iPhone 6 event, where the company will announce at least one of the new iPhones with a 4.7-inch screen and possibly a 5.5-inch screen.

Re/Code’s John Paczkowski reports that Apple plans to hold an event on September 9th to announce the new iPhone. This report specifically mentions two new iPhones, though many earlier reports left the fate of a larger .55-inch iPhone up in the air. Both of these devices will run an Apple A8 processor based on Paczkowski’s short report.

Even if the iPhone 6 is the main part of this event, current iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners should hear more details about iOS 8 features for all users, and gain an official iOS 8 release date.

We don’t need to wait for Tim Cook to tell us when the iOS 8 release date is, thanks to a handy  pattern that Apple follows for the iPhone and iOS release.

Read: iOS 8 vs iOS 7: Changes iPhone Owners Need to Know

Unless Apple changes things dramatically for 2014 the company will announce the iOS 8 release date on September 9th, but users will need to wait until September 17th for an iOS 8 download that will likely arrive around 10 AM Pacific. This will be two days before the iPhone 6 release date on September 19th.

This is a good guess of the iOS 8 release date, thanks to an easy to follow pattern. For the past three years the new version of iOS arrived just two days before a new iPhone. The new iPhone release comes on the second Friday after the event.

In 2012 Apple announced the iPhone 4s on October 4th, delivered an iOS 5 release on October 12th and an iPhone 4s release date on October 14th.

In 2013 Apple announced the iPhone 5 on September 12th, delivered an iOS 6 release on September 19th and the iPhone 5 release date on September 21st.

Last year in 2013 Apple announced the iPhone 5s on September 10th, delivered an iOS 7 release on September 18th and the iPhone 5s release on September 20th.

This leads to an iPhone 6 release date timeline that looks like this;

• iPhone 6 event – September 9th
• iOS 8 Release date – September 17th
• iPhone 6 release date – September 19th

It’s possible that Apple will throw in an iPhone 6 pre-order on September 12th, but the company did not offer a pre-order for the iPhone 5s last year.

Apple sticks to this plan year after year because it allows the company to announce the product and move inventory to Appel Stores and other retailers just in time for the new iPhone release date. When we try to narrow down new iPhone availability at retail stores each year employees typically tell us that the new iPhone shipments arrive at the end of day Thursday or even Friday morning in some cases.

Although the iPhone 6 needs the iOS 8 release date to arrive first, it doesn’t need to be two days early. This gap allows Apple to iron out any activation or download issues before the iPhone 6 release date stresses other systems with activations from people who wait in line for the new iPhone.

Apple is already on iOS 8 beta 5, and rumors suggest the company plans to jump to a Gold Master next in late August or early September. If Apple is that far along it is possible the iOS 8 release date will not follow this plan, but could arrive as soon as the iPhone 6 event wraps up.