Apple opens sales for new line-up – but new orders might not be delivered for months

The iPhone 15 has gone on sale – though customers might struggle to actually get hold of one today.

The four new versions of the iPhone as well as updated Apple Watches were revealed at an event in California last week, and opened for pre-orders on Friday, 15 September. A week later, those pre-orders have arrived in the hands of the first customers and the iPhones are now available in stores.

In recent years, Apple has discouraged the long queues that used to greet the launch of the iPhone, instead encouraging people to pre-order online even if they intend to eventually pick them up in store. The new launch was nonetheless met with lines at large Apple Stores.

Some versions of the phones are already showing long waiting periods until they are delivered, however. Most models of the iPhone 15 Pro Max are not expected to be delivered until the end of October – and some even later than that.

Numerous rumours had suggested that Apple would increase the price of this year’s models. But in fact the cost remained the same – and was reduced in the UK, in a surprise move.

The iPhone 15 line-up comes in four different options: the base iPhone 15, a Plus model, and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone 15 gets many of the upgrades that came to the Pro phones last year – an updated chip, better cameras and the “Dynamic Island” at the top of the screen – while this year’s Pro models feature a new titanium design, camera improvements and a much faster processor.

It also released a new version of the Apple Watch, the Series 9, which brings an improved display and a “Double Tap” feature that lets people control the device just by using their hands. The Apple Watch Ultra was also updated to get that feature.