With preorders due to start for the iPhone 17 range and AirPods Pro 3, Apple has taken down its online Apple Store, ostensibly to make changes to it.
Apple always does this ahead of any significant launch, and as ever it posts a note saying that it is offline while changes are made to the store.
In practice, taking down the store is more about building anticipation than for any major back-end website work. But it's not a cheap decision, as it means nothing at all can be bought from the online store for several hours.
That includes the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3, which were made available for preorders on the day they were announced in the "Awe Dropping" event.
The iPhone 17 range and AirPods Pro 3 did get a kind of pre-preorder option whereby prospective buyers could register the details of what they wanted, and how they would pay. That option ended at 9:00 p.m. Pacific on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
Once preorders open at 05:00 a.m. Pacific, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to see high demand. Note that all of the new iPhones, Apple Watches, and the AirPods Pro 3, will be available in physical Apple Stores from September 19.
