A new iPhone 7 leak is making rounds on the internet, and if it's anything to go by, the anticipated handset won't be hitting the shelves as early as previously expected.
According to 9to5Mac, the Apple smartphone will go official on Sept. 23, one week later than the first speculated release date. That detail comes from none other than AT&T, where the major U.S. carrier's retail schedule just got out to the public.
Before this piece of news made the headlines, the iPhone 7 launch was originally believed to kick off on Sept. 16, with preorders starting on Sept. 9. At the time, many already assumed that was the real deal, as the ol' reliable tipster Evan Blass or @evleaks was the one who spread the word.
Confirmed: Pre-orders start on the 9th. You can extrapolate the launch event date from there. https://t.co/gwoPzIM1dI
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 28, 2016
To clear things up, these release dates are likely based on the past schedules of earlier iPhone models.
In the case of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, they went up for preorder on Sept. 12 and rolled out on Sept. 19, Friday, back in 2014. That's a seven-day gap. Meanwhile, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus became available for preorder on Sept. 12 and landed on storefronts on Sept. 25, Friday, back in 2015. That there is a 13-day gap.
Assuming that preorders for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus indeed get off the ground on Sept. 9, the history-backed release dates are naturally on a Friday either Sept. 16 or Sept. 23.
To boil things down, because of the recent leak, there's a strong possibility that the next Apple flagship is going to launch on Sept. 23 instead of Sept. 16. However, nothing's set in stone just yet until the Cupertino brand itself announces anything, not to mention that the company hasn't said that the Sept. 7 event is official just yet.
In other words, it's recommended to take this news with the proverbial grain of salt.
It's also worth pointing out that an iPhone 7 Plus sporting a Deep Blue color has been spotted, providing another option to consider before shipping gets into gear.
Are you one of the fans who can't wait to get their hands on the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus? If so, feel free to hit us up in the comments section below and let us know.
This goes without saying, but hat tip to 9to5Mac for getting the word out.
