I predicted last year’s Apple phone release date – now here’s when I think iPhone 16 and your free iOS update will land

APPLE'S iPhone 16 is nearly upon us – and I think I know when it's out.

Last year, I predicted the iPhone 15's release date of September 22, and it's time to check my crystal ball of tech once again.

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Apple hasn't confirmed any official plans for an iPhone 16.

But all rumors (and common sense) point to Apple preparing to release a major new smartphone later this year.

The maker is a creature of habit when it comes to releasing new gadgets.

So I'm pretty sure I know exactly when the next top model will land, so mark those calendars and start saving.

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IPHONE 16 RELEASE DATE – WHEN IS IT OUT?

It's impossible to say with 100% certainty when the iPhone 16 will land.

In fact, the company won't even confirm the date of the launch event until about two weeks before it takes place.

Select media will receive special invites from Apple for the gadget extravaganza, confirming the big date.

So what do we know for sure?

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For a start, a new flagship iPhone arrives yearly and typically in September.

This release generally falls in the first half of each month – and usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

For this year, we'd expect the iPhone 16 to be revealed on Tuesday, September 10, or Wednesday, September 11.

However the latter is unlikely because the date is associated with the 9/11 tragedy in the United States.

So that means the iPhone 16 reveal date is almost certainly going to be Tuesday, September 10.

From there, we can work backwards and forwards to predict a whole host of milestones.

We'd expect the invites for the event to arrive on Tuesday, August 17.

And then we're likely to see pre-orders for the phone become available on Friday, September 13.

The new iOS 18 software update that will land on millions of iPhones worldwide will likely drop on Monday, September 16.

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This is a free update that will also power the new iPhone 16, as well as bringing loads of features to your existing devices.

Usually, we'd expect to see reviews for the device go live shortly after, once gadget experts have had a good chance to try it – so look out for those on Wednesday, September 18.

Lastly (and most importantly) the actual iPhone 16 release date in stores is likely to be Friday, September 20.

FULL LIST OF IPHONE 16 DATE PREDICTIONS

So here is the full list of The U.S. Sun's predictions for the iPhone 16 launch scheduled:

• Apple iPhone 16 event invites – Tuesday, August 27
• iPhone 16 launch event – Tuesday, September 10
• iPhone 16 pre-orders – Friday, September 13
• iOS 18 release date – Monday, September 16
• iPhone 16 reviews online – Wednesday, September 18
• iPhone 16 release date – Friday, September 20

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Of course these dates are not guaranteed. In fact, they might be totally wrong.

But they're my best guesses based on what we've seen from Apple in the past.