With all of the iPhone 7 rumors surfacing of late, the one element missing is when the device might actually launch—until now.
Evan Blass, a prominent leaker who has been right on several mobile device launch dates, said that Apple’s next iPhone—believed to be known as the iPhone 7—will launch during the “week of Sept. 12.” He added in a follow-up tweet that the device will launch on Friday, September 16.
While Blass did not reveal his sources, he has been right more than he’s been wrong in the past. Indeed, his Twitter account @evleaks has become a veritable repository for early, accurate revelations on new smartphones—including those from the notoriously secretive Apple (AAPL).
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The iPhone 7 has become the focal point in a mobile market dominated by Apple and Samsung. While Apple itself hasn’t revealed any details on the device and hasn’t even acknowledged that another iPhone is launching this year, a slew of rumors and leaks have hit the Internet with claims that the company is indeed launching a new smartphone later this year. Those rumors, which have been accompanied by images and videos, claim the iPhone 7 will feature a slight redesign compared to the existing iPhone 6s with modified antenna lines on the back. It’s also believed Apple could ditch the headphone jack on the bottom of the smartphone in favor of dual speakers.
Many had hoped, given Apple’s history of launching big updates every other year and that the iPhone 6s wasn’t a major upgrade over the iPhone 6, that 2016 would be a major-upgrade year. Instead, it’s believed that Apple will start a three-year major upgrade cycle with a sizable update in 2017, featuring an all-glass enclosure and new display technology.
Again, Apple hasn’t confirmed those reports.
At first blush, Blass’s claim that the iPhone 7 won’t launch until September 16 makes some sense. Apple has, on several occasions in years past, launched its new iPhone on a Friday. It’s also kept a September launch cadence.
However, there are some reasons to question this claim. Apple has said that its next mobile operating system iOS 10 won’t launch until the fall, which won’t begin until September 22. Apple launches its new iPhones after iOS 10, which, if the company is being literal in its plans, suggests the iPhone 7 might not launch until after September 22. One other note: the iPhone 6s hit store shelves on September 25 after Apple made similar “fall” promises.
That said, Apple can change its mind at any moment, and if the iPhone 7 really isn’t a major upgrade over the iPhone 6s, getting it to store shelves earlier in September might be possible and worthwhile for a division that has been hobbling compared to prior years.
Apple could announce its plans later this year when it is expected to hold a special press event unveiling its next iPhone. If history is our guide, that launch event would likely occur sometime after Labor Day.
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Apple did not respond to a request for comment.