Macwelt, the German sister publication to Macworld, received a tip from a reliable source that iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders will open on Saturday, September 12. Apple confirmed this week that the event itself is Wednesday, September 9, which puts the Friday it normally takes orders on September 11. According to the same source, the window opens at midnight PT rather than the usual 5am.
Apple has done this once already. In 2015 the pre-order Friday also fell on September 11, and the company moved orders to Saturday morning instead. September 11, 2026 is the 25th anniversary of the attacks. Macwelt reported the iPhone 17e release date incorrectly earlier this year. Delivery should hold either way, with the phones reaching doorsteps and stores on Friday, September 18.