Carrier-sourced rumor suggests 'iPhone 8' launch event will take place on September 12

By Malcolm Owen

Apple is supposedly planning to reveal the 'iPhone 8,' 'iPhone 7s,' and the 'iPhone 7s Plus' on September 12, according to a French report citing a number of sources within European carriers preparing for the impending iPhone launches.

The keynote, which is expected to feature the anniversary "iPhone 8" and the "iPhone 7s" devices heavily, will take place on Tuesday, September 12, claims Mac4Ever. The report also suggests that the new iPhones will be released on the Friday of the following week, September 22, though it apparently has yet to confirm the date with its sources.

The carriers already know the date of the launch, the report claims, as well as the date marketing for the new iPhones will commence. This information is claimed to be critical for carriers, as the mobile networks must organize pre-orders and guarantee inventory ahead of the launch in anticipation of high consumer demand.

As Apple typically holds its main iPhone launches during September, usually earlier in the month, the rumored unveiling on the 12th is a relatively safe bet, along with the release date timing. Last year's launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus took place on the 7th of September, with the official street date for the smartphones landing on September 16.

Considering Apple sends out invitations to the event towards the end of August, it is highly likely Apple will be revealing the launch date for its new devices within the next week.

Aside from the "iPhone 8" and the "iPhone 7s" refresh, it is speculated Apple could launch a new model of the Apple TV with 4K and HDR capabilities during the event, as well as an update to the Apple Watch. It is also expected that Apple will use the event to advise of when macOS High Sierra, iOS 11, and updates to its tvOS and watchOS software will ship to the public.