Apple Store Seizes Up as iPhone 17 Pre-Orders Go Live

Lead Apple’s online store crashed worldwide this morning as pre-orders for the iPhone 17 lineup kicked off at 5:00 a.m. PDT on September 12, prompting eager customers to scramble for new front-camera-centered models.

Nut Graf The highly anticipated iPhone 17 series-featuring the standard, Air, Pro and Pro Max-became available to pre-order exactly one week ahead of its September 19 launch, driving record traffic and revealing global demand for Apple’s latest hardware.

Main Part

Subhead: Store Outage and Frenzy

  • At 4:50 a.m. PDT, users attempting to access apple.com encountered an “Almost ready for you” message as the store went offline just ahead of the 5:00 a.m. PT release.
  • Apple’s decision to shift pre-orders from the traditional 12:01 a.m. slot to early-morning Pacific Time failed to stem the surge in traffic.

Subhead: Pre-Order Details and Availability

  • Customers in over 40 countries-including the United States, UK, Canada, India and Japan-can pre-order all four models via the Apple Store app and website.
  • Pricing begins at $799 for the iPhone 17, $999 for the iPhone Air, $1,099 for the iPhone 17 Pro and $1,199 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with storage tiers from 256 GB up to 2 TB on the Pro Max.

Subhead: Key Features Driving Demand

  • All models boast Apple’s new A19 or A19 Pro chips, ProMotion displays and the 18 MP Center Stage front camera for auto-framing video calls and selfies.
  • The Pro and Pro Max introduce a triple 48 MP Fusion camera system, including an 8x optical-quality telephoto lens and advanced video features for content creators.

Subhead: Launch Timeline and Shipping

  • Following today’s pre-orders, Apple will begin shipping devices and fulfilling pick-up orders starting September 19.
  • iOS 26, powering enhanced Apple Intelligence and Liquid Glass interface elements, launches as a free update on September 15.

Subhead: Carrier Offers and Trade-In Options

  • Apple is offering up to $1,100 in carrier credits and $200-$700 in trade-in credits for iPhone 13 or newer devices.
  • Financing options, including 0% APR installments, are available through Apple and select carriers.

As pre-orders stabilized later this morning, Apple confirmed the store outage was resolved, underscoring the enduring appeal of its flagship smartphones and the pivotal role of early adopters in shaping launch-day dynamics.