Apple’s latest iPhone 18 Pro preorder guide contains a deadline that does not fit cleanly with the rest of its instructions. The company says customers have until 9 a.m. PT on Friday, September 11, to save their model, accessories, financing, and trade-in choices, even though the same update encourages people to prepare that day ahead of Saturday’s launch.
An original report published after the listed cutoff said Apple’s Get Ready option was still available and argued that Apple probably meant 9 p.m. PT. That interpretation is plausible, but Apple’s official page still shows 9 a.m. PT, so buyers should not treat 9 p.m. as a confirmed correction.
The practical advice is simple: complete the Get Ready process as soon as possible if you plan to order from Apple. Apple’s newsroom notice confirms that pre-orders begin Saturday, September 12, at 5 a.m. PT. Apple has not promised that saving a bag reserves stock or guarantees launch-day delivery, so the saved configuration should be treated as checkout preparation only.
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- Official preorder opening: Saturday, September 12, at 5 a.m. PT.
- Deadline shown by Apple: Friday, September 11, at 9 a.m. PT.
- Unconfirmed interpretation: 9 p.m. PT may be the intended cutoff, but Apple has not corrected the page.
What the Get Ready process saves
Apple lets buyers make the slower decisions before the store becomes busy. Customers can select an iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max, choose a finish and storage capacity, pair accessories, seek financing or leasing approval, and enter trade-in details. Saving those choices reduces the number of steps left when ordering opens.
It does not reserve inventory or establish a place in a delivery queue. Our guide to permanent iPhone 18 Pro choices can help buyers settle the model details, while the day-one accessory checklist separates essentials from items that can wait.
The confirmed preorder schedule
| Event | Apple’s published time |
|---|---|
| Get Ready cutoff | September 11 at 9 a.m. PT, possibly incorrect |
| Pre-orders open | September 12 at 5 a.m. PT |
| First deliveries and stores | September 18 |
| Additional markets | September 25 |
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299 in the United States, both with 256GB of storage. Buyers can also choose 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB, so settling capacity before the store rush can save another decision during checkout. Apple says the phones reach more than 65 countries and regions on September 18, followed by over 20 additional markets one week later. Our broader iPhone 18 Pro preorder guide covers the Apple Store app, website, and carrier routes.
What Apple has not clarified
Apple has not said whether 9 a.m. is a typographical error, whether the cutoff varies by region, or whether saved choices receive any inventory priority. Buyers should capture any deadline shown in their own store interface. Until the newsroom wording changes, 9 p.m. remains a reported estimate rather than an official deadline.
Did Apple’s Get Ready option remain available for you after the stated cutoff, and are your selections now saved for Saturday? Tell us what you saw in the comments.
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