AT&T's Vacation Blackout Pinned Down to September 21-30 for iPhone Launch

Two weeks ago, BGR reported that AT&T was planning for a launch of the next-generation iPhone in late September, instituting an "all-hands-on-deck policy" for the last two weeks of the month and into October.

That news was followed last week with word that Verizon had instituted its own vacation blackout for September 21-30, bolstering claims that the new iPhone will launch in the United States on Friday, September 21.

attlogo375wide
TechCrunch now reports that AT&T's vacation blackout period has been pinned down to the same September 21-30 timeframe seen at Verizon. According to the report, AT&T staff will be training up for an "iconic release" scheduled for that time, with all indications pointing to the next-generation iPhone as the device in question.

According to an AT&T sales rep, AT&T staff has been given a vacation blackout from September 21 to September 30, just like Verizon employees. Our source also mentioned that blue carrier employees are undergoing training for an “iconic release.”

Sounds like the next-gen iPhone to me.

Apple is expected to introduce the next iPhone with a media event on September 12, with availability in the United States apparently set for nine days later. Several other major countries are likely to see a launch on that same date, with other markets following quickly in subsequent weeks.

Apple is reportedly also preparing to launch its "iPad mini" in the coming months, but the company is said to be planning a separate media event for October to introduce that product.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
iPhone 17 vs Air and Pros Feature

New iPhones See 'Stronger Than Expected' Demand With One Exception

Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain. There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
macbook air prime day 2025

M5 MacBook Air: Release Date, Features, and Performance Predictions

Friday October 3, 2025 3:39 am PDT by
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor. Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26 Adds These 200 New Features and Changes to Your iPhone

Saturday October 4, 2025 8:19 am PDT by
Apple's website offers a list of nearly 200 new features and changes (PDF file) included in the software update, released last month. Apple also shared equivalent lists for iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe. iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on General, and tap on Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight ...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Leaks Reveal What Apple Products Are Coming Next

Friday October 3, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest leaks about the next-generation iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, Studio Display, and Vision Pro. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Earlier this week, an apparent unboxing video of an updated iPad Pro with the M5 chip was shared online. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Apple's 2025 Product Roadmap: What's Still Coming

Wednesday October 1, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple's two big yearly events, WWDC and the iPhone launch, are done and over with, but there are still some new products that we're expecting to see before the end of the year. Apple TV The Apple TV hasn't been updated since 2022, so it's due for a refresh. It doesn't look like Apple is going to change the design of its set-top box, but we can expect a faster chip Apple code suggests...

Top Rated Comments

Carlanga Avatar
171 months ago
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aidan5806 Avatar
171 months ago
MMWWUHAHAHAHAHA.......All the rumors are falling into place..........MY MASTER PLAN IS WORKING. :D
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Raftysworld Avatar
171 months ago
It seems reasonable to assume this blackout is due to the impending iPhone 5 launch.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tctony Avatar
171 months ago
Anybody else hate that we already know everything about Apple launches before they even happen?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MMOTotal Avatar
171 months ago
The sad part is we kind of know what to expect. I really hope Apple pulls something off that we aren't expecting.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Supra Mac Avatar
171 months ago
All hands on deck so they can try to talk customers out of buying iPhones.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)