iPhone 16 pre orders could open as early as this week if Apple pattern continues

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The new iPhone 16 is expected to be revealed at an Apple event scheduled for 6pm UK time on Monday 9 September. Apple has shared a colourful logo with the tagline ‘It’s Glowtime’ in preparation for the event and the Apple store is now offline as the brand prepares for the launch.

While Apple has not leaked any information about the new iPhone 16 we can estimate when and where the phone will go on sale in the UK.

Apple has used the September event to launch its new iPhone for a number of years. The iPhone 15 was revealed at the same time last year and the launches tend to follow the same structure.

The iPhone 16 will be revealed at the event, along with updates to the colour options available, new software and operating systems, and possibly new Apple Airpods, Apple Watch and other tech. If the launch follows the same plan at the iPhone 15, the iPhone 16 prices will be announced shortly after the event for UK customers.

Pre orders are expected to open on Friday 13 September in the UK, with actual deliveries beginning in the following weeks.

The most popular pre orders are usually the top of the range phones. For the launch of the iPhone 15 that was the Pro Max version, which sold out within an hour of pre orders open and led to a delay of available handsets for up to a month afterwards.

If we are following launch patterns we can also guess at prices for the new iPhone 16. The iPhone 15 was priced at £999 for the entry-level handset last year, with Pro Max versions priced as high as £1,200 at launch. They are now cheaper at around £1,000 from some sellers as sellers prepare for the new iPhone launch.

It has not been confirmed if the new iPhone 16 will be more expensive than the iPhone 15 at launch but networks in the UK are likely to offer the new phones from £40 upwards on monthly contracts. The best deals last year were found on the likes of mobilephonesdirect, Carphone Warehouse and IDMobile.