AT&T Reportedly Planning for iPhone Launch in Late September

BGR reports that AT&T is apparently targeting an iPhone launch in the third or fourth week of September, shifting to an "all-hands-on-deck policy" through mid-October to help handle the surge of customers that inevitably accompanies new iPhone launches.

According to a trusted AT&T (T) source, the carrier is currently planning to launch Apple’s (AAPL) next-generation iPhone during the third or fourth week of September, with an all-hands-on-deck policy in place for employees that will extend through to the middle of October.

AT&T has reportedly even gone as far as to reschedule a training event originally planned for the first week of October so that it's employees can remain available to help with the iPhone launch.

attlogo375wide
Numerous sources have all but confirmed that Apple will be introducing the next-generation iPhone on Wednesday, September 12, with iMore adding that the first round of launches will take place on Friday, September 21.

BGR has reported on carrier vacation blackouts and staffing ramp-ups a number of times in the past, but has a mixed track record with such reports. Back in late July 2011, the site reported that AT&T was planning for an early-to-mid September iPhone launch. As that timeframe passed with no announcement from Apple, the site reported that AT&T was setting vacation blackouts for the first two weeks of October. The iPhone 4S debuted on AT&T on October 14, at the end of that window.

Tag: BGR
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
samsung crease less foldable display ces 2026%402x

Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026

Tuesday January 6, 2026 3:04 am PST by
CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison. The ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
airpods pro 3 glitter

AirPods New Year's Deals Include Up to $99 Off AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Sunday January 4, 2026 8:04 am PST by
Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...
AirPods Pro 3 Year of the Horse Feature

Apple Launches Year of the Horse AirPods Pro 3 for Lunar New Year

Monday January 5, 2026 11:28 am PST by
Apple has designed a limited edition version of the AirPods Pro 3 to celebrate Lunar New Year, and customers in select countries can purchase them starting today. The Year of the Horse Special Edition AirPods Pro 3 feature a unique horse emoji character that's otherwise unavailable. Customers in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore are able to buy the AirPods, and they'll be...

Top Rated Comments

Technarchy Avatar
175 months ago
Lets just get it over with so all those people screaming about jumping ship can just go already.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jasonxneo Avatar
175 months ago
Can't wait for this new iPhone! :D
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sora Avatar
175 months ago
I'll be getting the "no commitment" version from Apple. Hate dealing with AT&T. I avoid them like the plague.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Derekuda Avatar
175 months ago
Why would ANYONE buy their iPhone from ATT when you can go to an Apple store with NO pushy sales people trying to upsale you with $40 accessories made from 10 cents worth of plastic.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
175 months ago
Yay! hopefully it will be made available directly after the keynote.
They've never done that. They'll announce it at the keynote, pre-orders at midnight in two days (Friday night) and sale in 9 days.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bigjnyc Avatar
175 months ago
Why go through all that trouble? I will ship it to you, you can just but it from me on ebay :P

No, sell it to me... It will be for my nephew who is currently studying in Nigeria, I will pay you for shipping plus another 100 bucks for your trouble via western union.:D
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)