William Gallagher
After about a three-hour downtime, the Apple Store is back online and preorders have started for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
While the Apple Watch Series 10 preorders began on the day of the "It's Glowtime" event, they were paused with the Apple Store online being taken down earlier on September 13, 2024. Similarly, orders for the existing "natural" color version of the Apple Watch Ultra were paused, and have now resumed alongside the new black edition.
As ever, local availability of preorders is varying depending on your location and Apple's local content delivery network rollouts. AppleInsider can confirm that preorders have begun.
If the store is not available to you through a browser or through the iOS Apple Store app, try reloading or relaunching it. There can be a delay of several minutes before all areas have access to the store again.
Going by traditional trends, expect to find that the greatest demand in the first few minutes of preorders is for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Buyers who are able to get in the first orders can expect them to be shipped by September 20. It's the same date for the whole iPhone 16 range and the new Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Despite the earlier start to preorders for the Apple Watch Series 10, that, too, will be shipping from September 20.
Note, too, that Apple is far from the only place selling the new devices — and other vendors are certain have either better deals, or outright better prices.
- AT&T Wireless - Get up to $1,000 off iPhone 16 models at AT&T with an eligible trade*
- Verizon Wireless - Get an iPhone 16 on Verizon with the Unlimited Ultimate plan and trade*
- Boost Mobile on Amazon - Get up to $1,000 off with no trade-in required*
- Visible - Get up to $360 in monthly credits when you join Visible and buy an iPhone 16 Pro* Terms and conditions apply. Please see site for details.
Plus if you have an existing iPhone or Apple Watch, there are many trade-in deals to be found. Currently, for instance, BuyBackWorld is offering a 16% bonus (capped at $45) on trades valued at $30 or more with promo code INSIDER16.
Charles Martin
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20 Comments
Painless preorder process for Apple Upgrade Program,. App didn't make me wait long. Didn't stutter. No need to start over. Over and done in less than a minute.
Then again, they have had decades of practice.... ;)
The pre-order prep process in app was very nice. Once it was time it took a few minutes for it to bring me in, then it was a snap.
Only thing that irks me is Apple Card monthly installments are artificially limited to the big carriers for no logical reason. If you want unlocked (for Mint Mobile) you need to buy at full-price.
After skipping iPhone updates for the past 2 years, I ordered the iPhone 16 Pro Max 1TB Natural Titanium model. The pre-orders started about 10 minutes after the scheduled time, but the process was smooth.
I reverted to using the iPhone XS Max for about 6 months and then went back to my 12 Pro Max for the past 2 months. So, despite the complaints of a lacklustre update from certain quarters, I am really excited. The phone is scheduled to be delivered on 20th Sep!