Apple announced many exciting operating system updates at WWDC 2024 but didn’t reveal any exact release dates. Several major product releases could be on the horizon for Apple, too. Luckily, Apple’s OS updates and product releases follow a similar pattern each year. So, we can get an idea of when to expect everything announced at WWDC and some rumored products in the pipeline at Apple Park in Cupertino.
It’s already been an eventful year for Apple. It launched the Vision Pro headset in February and released two new iPads, the M4 chip, the Apple Pencil Pro, and a redesigned Magic Keyboard in May. With WWDC, we’re already halfway through 2024, but there’s still plenty more to come from Apple this year, including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, Apple Intelligence, and likely M4 Macs and the iPhone 16 line-up.
Based on a deep dive into the history of Apple’s release dates, here’s a look at when Apple might release these new products and operating system updates.
1. iOS 18
iOS 18 will likely be the first software update announced at WWDC to be released. iPhone updates tend to lead the way each update cycle and often have more consistent OS update release dates than iPadOS or macOS. Apple has released every iOS update since iOS 6 in 2012 between September 12 and 20. Monday and Wednesday are also overwhelmingly the most common days of the week for iOS update releases.
This iOS release date pattern means it’s a pretty safe bet Apple will release iOS 18 on September 16 or 18. September 9, 23, and 25 are also possible but less likely since they are outside the typical September 12 to 20 window.
If you don’t want to wait until September, you can try the developer beta version of iOS 18 right now, but you’ll need to pay $99 for an Apple Developer account. Don’t worry, though – you can also enroll your devices in the Apple Beta Software Program to get the first public beta of iOS 18 for free. This program is also available for software updates for all of Apple’s other hardware categories.
2. iPadOS 18
Apple usually releases iPadOS updates alongside iOS updates, but those updates aren’t don’t always debut on the same day. We don’t have as much data on iPadOS, either, since the iPad didn’t get its own operating system until 2019. Before that, iPads and iPhones both ran iOS. However, Apple numbers iPadOS updates the same as iOS, so the first version of iPadOS was called iPadOS 13.
Apple released three out of the last five iPadOS updates on the same day as iOS updates, and it released four out of five between September 16 and 24, most often on a Monday. iPadOS 16 is an outlier, released on October 24, 2022 (over a month after iOS 16). So, it’s likely Apple will release iPadOS 18 on the same day as iOS 18 on September 16 or 18. September 16 is the most probable date since it is a Monday.
3. macOS 15
Unlike iOS and iPadOS, Apple doesn’t consistently release macOS on similar dates. The past five versions dropped in September, October, and November. There are still a few patterns that give us clues to the potential release date for macOS 15, though.
For example, September is the most common month for macOS initial update version releases, although Apple released the past three out of six versions in October. Regardless of the month, the 24 and 25 are common release dates. Apple released the past four out of six macOS updates on Mondays.
So, the most likely release dates for macOS 15 are September 23, 24, and 30 or October 14, 21, and 25. October is especially likely if Apple is planning to announce the M4 Mac line-up that month, like it did last year with the M3 Macs.
4. Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence doesn’t have its own release date. Instead, Apple is releasing it as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. So, Apple Intelligence’s release date is effectively the iOS 18 release date, most likely September 16 or 18. However, you may be able to try it out sooner in the developer and public beta versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15.
5. watchOS 11
Apple’s watchOS update release dates have been among the most consistent over the past nine years since the first generation Apple Watch debuted.
With the exception of watchOS 1, Apple has released every initial watchOS version so far in September, mainly the second half of the month. The past three out of five versions of watchOS launched on Mondays. Plus, initial version release dates for watchOS are always the same as those for new versions of iOS going back to 2016 (iOS 10/watchOS 3).
That means Apple will probably release watchOS 11 on the same day as iOS 18, most likely on September 16 or 18, with a slightly higher chance of September 16 since it’s a Monday.
6. visionOS 2
visionOS is the toughest Apple software release date to predict since the Vision Pro was just launched in February. We only have one past software release date to go off of, which is February 2, 2024. Apple doesn’t usually release software updates in February, though, so it’s unlikely it will wait until then for visionOS 2, especially since it was already announced at WWDC 2024.
So, considering this limited data, the most likely release dates for visionOS 2 are September 16 or 18 alongside iOS 18 or potentially another early February date in 2025 to line up with this year’s Vision Pro release.
7. M4 MacBooks
The M4 Mac line-up is most likely Apple’s next product release. Since the launch of Apple silicon in 2020, the MacBook has consistently led the way for new Mac line-up releases, so it’s a safe bet that Apple will start with the M4 MacBook Pro. Two out of the three M-series MacBook Pros so far were announced in late October or November:
- M1 MacBook Pro: November 10, 2020
- M2 MacBook Pro: June 6, 2022
- M3 MacBook Pro: October 30, 2023
The M2 announcement is an exception here since it was part of Apple's 2022 WWDC presentation. Apple could very well save M4 Macs for WWDC 2025, but it's more likely it will reveal at least part of the M4 line-up in a dedicated Mac event.
The M1 and M3 Mac announcement dates came on a Monday and Tuesday respectively, which means we can expect Apple to announce the first M4 Mac early in the week in either late October or early to mid-November.
So, the most likely dates for an M4 MacBook Pro announcement are October 28 or 29 and November 4, 5, 11, and 12. New Macs are usually available for pre-order shortly after Apple officially announces them with release dates typically within a few weeks of the announcement.
If you’re holding out for the M4 MacBook Air, you might have to wait a bit longer. M-series MacBook Air release dates are less consistent than those for the MacBook Pro. The last three fell in November, July, and March, making it difficult to predict the release date for the M4 Air.
However, Apple released the M3 MacBook Air in March 2024, so it’s unlikely it will release the M4 model less than a year after the M3 model. As a result, it’s highly likely we won’t see an M4 MacBook Air release date until at least March 2025.
8. iPhone 16
The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro could feature some exciting design and hardware upgrades, including more processing power for Apple Intelligence. If you’re excited to get your hands on one, you’ll have to wait for September.
Six out of the last eight iPhone release dates were in September. In fact, September is overwhelmingly the most common month for new iPhone releases. The last two weeks of the month are especially likely, particularly September 16, 20, and 22, which Apple has used for numerous iPhone releases over the years.
Considering September 16 is a Monday this year and matches up with the most likely iOS 18 release date, that is the most probable release date for the iPhone 16 based on Apple’s iPhone release patterns.
On the horizon: Apple Watch X, Vision Pro 2, and more
The rest of 2024 will be an exciting few months for Apple fans with a series of big software updates, the M4 MacBook Pro, and the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro right around the corner. There’s even more on the horizon, though.
In 2025 and 2026, we’re expecting not only more new Macs, iPhones, and iPads, but also a redesigned Apple Watch X, the sequel to the Vision Pro, and the iPhone SE 4, which is expected to get a much-needed design update. The base iPad and iPad Mini are also due for updates, Apple could release an OLED iPad Mini in the next year or two, as well.
We’ll be closely following all of the updates and rumors surrounding all of Apple’s upcoming products and software releases. So, stay tuned for more news and insights on everything from Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro 2 and even the mysterious all-screen foldable MacBook.
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