- The highly anticipated iPhone 12 launch event might take place on October 13th, according to a source from a Dutch carrier.
- A different leak also indicates that Apple will soon unveil the iPhone 12 series.
- The reports echo recent rumors that Apple would launch the iPhone 12 series in mid-October, with two of the four phones expected to hit stores a week later.
Apple’s most important keynote of the year takes place in mid-September usually. That’s when the newest iPhone is announced, with the handsets going on sale on the first Friday after the press conference. The novel coronavirus pandemic forced Apple to do things differently this year.
The mid-September media event was all about other Apple hardware and services, including the new Watch models, the refreshed iPads, and new subscriptions. Apple is widely expected to announce a mid-October iPhone virtual press conference soon, and a series of reports indicate the event is coming soon. We even have a date: October 13th, which is very much in line with a recent report from a well-known Apple leaker.
Jon Prosser said a few weeks ago that Apple will announce the iPhone 12 in the week of October 12th, which made October 13th or 14th the most likely dates for the event. Apple usually holds iPhone events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, with preorders starting on Friday.
A source who identified themselves to Apple Insider as an employee for a Dutch carrier said that Apple would hold the iPhone 12 event on October 13th, with preorders to start on October 16th. The phones should ship to consumers a week later if this leak is accurate, on October 23rd.
This is still an unverified rumor, and Apple is yet to announce anything. Apple should reveal the date soon enough, but it’s under no pressure of giving the media a proper heads-up. This is still going to be an online-only press event, as the COVID-19 threat has not gone away.
It’s not just carriers in the Netherlands that are preparing for the iPhone launch. MacRumors got wind of an internal presentation from British Telecom, which hinted that the iPhone 12 launch is near.
“We are just days away from Apple’s next major launch, a 5G iPhone, which will be a huge boost for 5G,” BT and EE CEO Marc Allera said during the company-only event. “Teams in all parts of Consumer have been preparing all year to win this launch and be Europe’s number one partner for Apple.”
As seen in the image above, Apple’s services chief Eddy Cue made a brief appearance during the presentation. Cue reportedly praised EE for being the first carrier to bundle smartphone plans with Apple services.
The BT presentation did not offer any actual dates, or the source who leaked the screenshot above chose not to share them.
Regardless of when the iPhone 12 press event occurs, rumors say that not all four iPhone 12 models will be available in stores in October. Two of the four handsets will be delayed to mid-November, although the various rumors aren’t in agreement on what models will arrive first. Some say the affordable 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch iPhone 12 models will launch first, followed by the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro versions. Other reports say the 6.1-inch phones will hit stores before the smallest and largest new iPhone models arrive.
