After its launch last week was met with mixed reactions, the iPhone 16 was finally available for pre-order on Friday afternoon.
But if you’re eager to get your hands on Apple’s latest product, you may have to wait a long time.
Due to high demand, Apple has quietly delayed the launch of the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro in the UK by up to four weeks.
The latest version of the flagship smartphone was originally expected to arrive to customers on September 20, but that may now happen as late as October.
People who want to order the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have to wait the longest. Expected delivery times are until October 15 at the latest.
Apple fans hoping for the new iPhone 16 Pro (pictured) and 16 Pro Max will have to wait until October to receive their new phones
After pre-orders for the new iPhone started last Friday, Apple quietly extended delivery times by up to four weeks
| Model | Finish | Storage | Estimated delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | Each | Each | October 8-15 |
| iPhone 16 Pro | Each | Each | October 1-8 |
| iPhone 16 | Pink or white | 128GB | September 23 |
| iPhone 16 | Ultramarine, Blue-Green, Black | 128GB | September 26 – October 1 |
| iPhone 16 | Pink | 256GB | September 23 |
| iPhone 16 | Ultramarine, Blue Green, Black, White | 256GB | September 26 – October 1 |
| iPhone 16 | Each | 512GB | September 26 – October 1 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | Ultramarine, Blue Green, Pink, Black | 128GB | September 26 – October 1 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | White | 128GB | September 24-26 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | Each | 256GB | September 26 – October 1 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | White | 512GB | September 23 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | Blue-green | 512GB | September 24-26 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | Ultramarine, Pink, Black | 512GB | September 26 – October 1 |
While high demand is good for Apple, it also means many customers have to wait a long time for their new iPhone.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the most popular and therefore has the longest delivery time.
Over on Apple’s website, MailOnline has found that delivery times for the iPhone 16 Pro Max now range from October 8 to October 15 across all colours and memory options.
That means those who paid up to £1,599 to get their hands on the most expensive new iPhone when pre-orders first started will have to wait more than 30 days.
The smaller iPhone 16 Pro is also facing similar delays across all color and storage options.
If you want to get your hands on the £1,499 1TB iPhone 16 Pro model, you’ll have to wait until October 8 for delivery.
Shipments of the entry-level iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have also been delayed, but there’s a much bigger difference between the various options.
Some color and memory combinations have been delayed by just three days, while others have been postponed until October.
Most configurations of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are now expected to ship between September 26 and October 1, one to two weeks later than expected.
However, if you prefer a slightly less popular color, you may be able to receive your new iPhone a few days earlier.
MailOnline has discovered that some iPhone colour and memory combinations will not arrive until mid-October at the latest
Due to high demand for certain color and memory combinations, the high-end Pro and Pro Max models may not arrive until October 15. Pictured, the iPhone 16 launch event in Cupertino, California, on September 9, 2024.
iPhone 16 shipments have also been delayed, but some color options, like pink (pictured), have only been delayed by a few days
The 128BG and 256BG iPhone 16 will be available in pink from September 23.
You’ll even be able to get a top-of-the-range iPhone 16 Plus with 512GB by then if you order it in white.
Ultramarine appears to be the most popular color and will not be available in any color or memory configuration until October 1st.
On social media, enthusiastic Apple fans expressed their frustration over the delay and the difficulties they had experienced in pre-ordering.
On X, formerly Twitter, one commenter wrote: ‘iPhone secured!! BUT REALLY?? October?!? I was in line for 10 minutes, how is that possible?? I want my phone ASAP!!!!!’
Based on expected delivery times, ultramarine (right) has proven to be more popular than white or pink
Another commenter said: ‘I missed it by 45 minutes and it’s now October before I get it.’
“Your boy missed the iPhone pre-order that is now backdated to October. Oh well,” added one frustrated social media user.
Meanwhile, others expressed their anger over the problems with O2’s pre-order system.
A number of people complained to X that the O2 app had crashed just minutes after pre-orders started.
One commenter wrote: ‘O2 this is shameful. 24 hours after the iPhone 16 went up for pre-order we still have to queue to get on the website even though we don’t want the iPhone at all.
On social media, commenters complained that they now had to wait until October to receive their iPhones
iPhone order delays began just hours after pre-orders opened, leaving many Apple fans disappointed.
A number of commenters also found that the O2 app crashed when they tried to pre-order their iPhone due to high demand
Another wrote: ‘The site is constantly down and now you finally created a queue, my wait time went from 16 minutes to over an hour. Really not good enough.’
In response to this complaint, O2 posted on X: ‘We are aware of this and our technical teams are working to resolve this as quickly as possible. Sorry, keep trying.’
However, this isn’t the first time Apple fans have faced mounting delays during the iPhone launch.
Last year, during the launch of the iPhone 15, some customers faced a delay of almost 60 days as demand for the new smartphone outstripped supply.
MailOnline has reached out to Apple for comment.