A leaked image showing an internal shipping company memo suggests that Apple’s upcoming iPhone lineup will start shipping Sept. 21.
The picture, which was obtained by iPhone Italia, shows an Italian shipper memo that informs employees to expect high shipping traffic to occur on Friday, Sept. 21, with higher-than-normal deliveries on Sept. 25 through 27.
Notably, the memo doesn’t indicate what will be shipped by the company. But it’s worth noting that it does mention Apple by name.
AppleInsider later confirmed that the shipping company is indeed Apple’s partner within Italy and other countries. That makes the authenticity of the image quite likely.
Because of that, it’s likely that the image is a good indication of when new iPhones will begin shipping out to stores and customers across the globe. Italy, along with the U.S., Canada and other regions, is typically one of the first markets to receive new Apple products.
Apple is largely expected to debut its trio of new 2018 iPhones at its Gather Round event, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The 2018 lineup is rumored to comprise the 5.8-inch OLED iPhone XS; 6.5-inch OLED iPhone XS Max (or Plus), and 6.1-inch LCD iPhone Xc (or 9).
(Other products that could be on the docket include new iPad Pro models, an Apple Watch Series 4, several Mac refreshes, and Apple’s along awaited AirPower charging mat.)
Based on Apple’s typical release timeline, that means that the new iPhones and other products will become available for preorder this Friday, Sept. 14.
Even before this report, that made the following Friday, Sept. 21, the most likely date that customers will first begin receiving their new Apple handsets.
More than anything else, the Italian shipping memo just confirms that Apple’s 2018 release schedule is right on track — though it’s worth noting that some sources suggest the iPhone Xc could be available in limited quantities or even delayed initially.