iPhone 16 launch may move earlier in month to avoid clash with Donald Trump and Kamala Harris debate, expert predicts

APPLE’S secretive iPhone 16 launch event may land earlier than expected, if a tech expert is to be believed.

The tech giant might choose to avoid having its annual iPhone showcase clash with the upcoming debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

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Apple chief Tim Cook is expected to unveil the iPhone 16 next month[/caption]

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Donald Trump is set to debate presidential rival Kamala Harris on September 10[/caption]

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Harris and Trump’s TV clash could fall on the same day as Apple’s iPhone 16 launch event[/caption]

A major clash between the pair hosted by ABC News is due to take place on September 10.

But Apple had also been tipped to show off its iPhone on that same day.

That might mean Apple chooses a different event day, to avoid its iPhone 16 launch being overshadowed by a debate between two prospective presidents.

Now tech expert Alan Friedman at long-running tech blog PhoneArena has claimed that Apple is likely to show off its new iPhone on September 3 or 4 instead.

There are a few points to note, however.

Firstly, Apple hasn’t confirmed any dates for its next product launch – or even the existence of an iPhone 16.

Secondly, even if Apple does launch its new iPhone on September 3 or 4, it might stick to the handset’s likely release date of September 20.

IPHONE 16 RELEASE DATE PREDICTIONS

Previously, we had predicted the iPhone 16 launch date as September 10 – and with good reason.

Normally Apple announces its new iPhone models yearly, typically in the first half of September.

It would generally take place on either a Tuesday or Wednesday.

So that left us with potential dates of Tuesday, September 10, or Wednesday, September 11.

The latter is unlikely because the date is associated with the tragic 9/11 disaster in the United States.

So that likely meant that the iPhone 16 would be revealed on September 10.

Once you have the reveal date, it’s fairly easy to predict other parts of Apple’s plans.

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Apple usually unveils its latest iPhone models at the Steve Jobs Theater[/caption]

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The iPhone event typically takes place inside the company’s gargantuan Apple Park HQ in Cupertino, California[/caption]

For instance, you’d expect pre-orders for the iPhone 16 to go live on Friday, September 13 – followed by an in-store release date on Friday, September 20.

We’d expect to see event invites go out on Tuesday, August 17, and the release of iOS 18 on Monday, September 16.

Now that Trump and Harris are set for a major TV clash on September 10, it could upend some or all of the schedule.

Alternatively, Apple could shift the launch date – but keep the release date as planned.

AFP

Apple is expected to focus heavily on artificial intelligence features for its new iPhone models[/caption]

And of course it’s entirely possible that Apple ignores the debate completely and goes ahead with its original plans.

Until Apple makes an announcement, we won’t know for sure.

The new iPhone 16 is expected to feature new AI Apple Intelligence features.

This lets you speak to Siri in a more natural way, talk to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, create custom emoji called Genmoji, and even create images from scratch.

And we might see new color options, including a possible Rose paintjob.