iPhone 7 Release Date: Here's When Rumors Suggest Apple Could Debut Its New Phone

RTSJD26 — A man takes pictures as Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus go on sale at an Apple Store in Beijing on Sept. 25. Reuters

Apple fanatics around the world have been waiting for months for the technology giant to announce a release date for its newest phone, which people have nicknamed the iPhone 7. Many experts have predicted the 10th generation iPhone will come out in September, and the latest leak seems to confirm that theory.

Evan Blass, a reporter at VentureBeat and an insider CNET calls a "known and generally reliable leaker," tweeted over the weekend that the iPhone's 2016 release would be the week of Sept. 12. He quickly followed up, saying, "Just to clarify, this refers to the retail release, not the launch event. To be even more specific, it should happen on Friday, Sept. 16th."

Blass' comments appeared to be well-received by Apple-focused media outlets like 9to5 Mac, which noted that the iPhone 5s came out on Sept. 20, 2013; the iPhone 6 came out on Sept. 19, 2014; and the iPhone 6s came out on Sept. 25, 2015.

Apple usually announces its new products at press events scheduled about a week before they come out, Investors Business Daily reported.

Interesting factoid courtesy of @BullishCross: "Apple's quarter ends uncustomarily early this yr on September 24 (typically around 27-29)."
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 24, 2016

I hope these rumors of iPhone 7 being release in September hold some truth. My 6's battery dies when it wants to & is slow. Need an upgrade.
— Anthony Wheeler (@NAMELESS) July 25, 2016

Not everyone was so convinced by Blass' tweets. On the MacRumors forums, user Tech198 wrote that "this is getting like weather forecast predictions," while user littyboy criticized the attention the rumors got, writing that "even if someone farted and it sounded like a release date" reporters would cover it.

Another report out Monday claimed the new iPhone might be named the "iPhone 6SE," according to Apple Insider.

No matter its moniker, the next iPhone is already a hotly debated device. Leaks have suggested the phone will come in two or three sizes, not have a headphone jack, be more water resistant and feature different antenna placements, MacRumors reported. Apple Insider proposed that Apple may be waiting to unveil a major iPhone makeover until 2017, which marks a full 10 years since the first-ever iPhone came out.