Will I receive my iPhone 16 Pro before the launch date on the 20th, if I pre-ordered it?

Also, not sure what country you are in but if you are in the US if you have an account with UPS or FedEx you can often see when info about your package once a label was created before you may receive an email or text from Apple about it officially shipping. In the past it’s how I would track movement of preorders seeing them travel through China and its various stops until it reached the US and then reached the UPS hub in Lexington KY then sit for several days (due to the shipping exceptions that Apple imposed) then usually the day before launch is when it starts moving again to reach your city/area distribution center and then of course loaded onto the truck that will deliver it to you.

It has been years since that was happening. The bulk of the shipments will be held at the main hubs (sometimes labeled Super Hubs) and sit there per the agreement before going to the regional hub/distribution centers. But before Apple started imposing their delivery restrictions for launch day deliveries if you preordered early enough you were very likely to receive it 2-3 days early (used to happen for me all of the time). The likelihood of receiving it early is less than 1%…the shipper doesn’t want to receive repercussions from violating the contract agreement.

As I mentioned in my earlier comments if a shipping label has been generated for your device and the info for it matches your UPS My Choice info then it will show in My Choice. This is not just true with Apple launches but any package that is being shipped through UPS (same for FedEx). Usually, you can see the info on UPS before you actually receive a shipment notification from the company you’re expecting something from (in this case Apple). Apple during these preorders usually doesn’t send out a shipped email or update the status to shipped until it ships from the hub on its way to the distribution hub in your area (but during all of that time it would have traveled through China, entered the US (for most it will go to Alaska. Then to the hub which for many will be Louisville Kentucky). My package is currently at the super hub in Kentucky. Apple still shows it as preparing to ship. I expect to see an email from Apple either late Wednesday or sometime Thursday saying it was shipped. At that point it would be en route to my local distribution center.

So! I was also lost but figured out what everyone is trying to say!

1. UPS online
2. search by reference number
3. It will give you shipping info

like you, I ordered my phone at 5am (5:08am due to Apple’s delay) and I am scheduled to receive it on 9/20. I just confirmed the UPS info and says 9/20 by 7pm.

Hope this helps!!!

Ok I finally figured this out!!!!!so anyone not seeing anything on the UPS or USPS website go to UPS and create a free MyChoice Account and search by reference number not tracking number! The search with reference number is right underneath the tracking number spot. ( I added a screenshot below to help find) So I typed in my Apple order number and choose my zip code destination and my country I live in ( USA) and it says it will be here tomorrow.

Confirmed - just logged into my UPS account and it shows an inbound package from Apple that will be arriving Friday the 20th before 7pm and has a tracking number. But on the Apple Store it still shows "preparing to ship".

Thanks for the info!

I call apple costumer service and the lady told me that apple will send the tracking numbers starting thursday afternoon is a new thing they are testing she said dont worry it will arrived on the 20th but you will get the tracking on the 19th.

Verizon can’t promise you 2 days on a preorder. They can’t release it before launch day. The 2 day shipping is Verizon’s normal shipping for available in stock items. A preorder is not “in stock” until the day it launches

This might help most. I order 15 minutes after preorde open on apple. Dessert titanum 16 pro max, order said i’ll get it on the 20th. Since sunday the 15th i was able to see my tracking number from ups. If you have a ups account ( free to sign) and the app, it will show you a head of time any ups label that had been printed or package heading to your address. My package on sundY was scanned in china. Now is seating on KY usa. My apple order still says preparing to ship. So do yourself a favor, download the app and make a ups account. Very useful if u order alot.

Not true, unless you mean something else, I tried what someone said about going on ups tracking, clicking track by reference number, copied that order number from apple, paste it in the search on ups but remove the last 2 numbers, and you should be able to see that it’s on the way. On apple my order still says processing, but If I go through ups and reference number it shows arriving tomorrow. Regardless if it says on apple arriving the 20th you should get it tomorrow.

You won’t receive it before launch day. It may ship and start moving through the chain but it will be held at the shipping hub until an authorized date to start the final shipping route to you. You will receive it on launch day if that is when it’s scheduled unless of course delays occur (once the shipper has it for example if a significant weather event occurs it could cause delays).

FreddieB12 wrote:

lucky! mine still says "preparing to ship".

If you are in the US and you have a UPS My Choice Account, you can find your tracking information. On the Apple page, it will say preparing to ship until Apple sends you a shipping notification. Assuming you're getting your iPhone on Friday, it's already in the UPS system and it is in China, getting ready for its trip to to Alaska next, then on to whichever UPS hub serves your area, then on to a regional delivery center, then to you. You'll get it the date Apple promised.

Edit: I just checked the tracking for both phones and it appears they have now left China and are their way to America. Assuming your phone is scheduled for this Friday, your phone has likely already been through all the places in China and it too is on its way. Regardless of when they hit the US, UPS will NOT deliver them before the 20th, however.

As I mentioned earlier and someone else reiterated, if you are in the US if you have FedEx Delivery Manager or UPS My Choice accounts (both are free) you can see info before you will get a notice from Apple. These preorders are traveling from China. You won’t get a shipped notice until some time after the phone is in the US…usually after it has reached the super hub and is allowed to head towards the regional hub/distribution center that will be responsible for the final delivery to you. Likely not until Wednesday at the earliest but may not be until Thursday assuming your order showed launch day as your delivery date. You will receive it on time barring any delays such as weather conditions causing issues or something else significant.

Bail26 wrote:

I ordered mine at 8:05 am est on pre order day. I received a tracking number that night. My phone is only an hour away with ups.

Your phone hasn't even arrived in the US yet. So, whether you are an hour away from UPS or any other distance, UPS will deliver your phone on the 20th as that is what their contract with Apple specifies. My two iPhones will go from China to Alaska. Then they'll go to Louisville, KY. From there, they'll fly to Orlando, FL, then they'll hitch a ride on a UPS truck to the local distribution center near me on the west coast of Florida, where they'll be loaded for local delivery on the 20th.

KaitoS wrote:

i had mine pre ordered during the afternoon of the 13th and the web is saying its est delivery date is October 11. Id like to say that im disappointed.

If you want an iPhone on Launch Day, waiting until the afternoon preorders open is too late. Next time, remember that preorders open at 5 AM Pacific time. I ordered two phones the moment preorders opened and both are arriving on Friday, the 20th. By the time I got work Friday morning, the delivery dates had already slipped into October.