Apple launched the iPhone X on November 3, 2017, following a special announcement event on September 12, 2017. Pre-orders opened on October 27, 2017. Marketed as a milestone for the device's tenth anniversary, Apple skipped the sequential "9" moniker entirely, using the Roman numeral "X" to represent the number ten.
Understanding when this phone arrived helps trace how smartphone design shifted away from physical home buttons toward edge-to-edge OLED displays. Apple disrupted its own product cadence that year by spacing out the release of the companion iPhone 8 models from the delayed arrival of the tenth-anniversary edition. Production bottlenecks involving the TrueDepth camera sensor array and OLED panels caused the later launch window.
The 2017 Announcement and Rollout Timeline
The official unveiling took place at the Steve Jobs Theater inside Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Tim Cook introduced the device as the blueprint for the next decade of mobile computing.
Pre-order demand quickly outstripped initial supply. Customers who failed to secure a slot during the first few minutes on October 27 faced shipping estimates stretching into December of that year.
- September 12, 2017: Official announcement at the Apple Special Event.
- October 27, 2017: Global pre-orders open at 12:01 AM PDT.
- November 3, 2017: In-store availability and direct deliveries begin in over 55 countries.
- September 12, 2018: Discontinued by Apple following the announcement of the iPhone XS and XR.
Why Apple Skipped the iPhone 9
Tech historians often debate the branding strategy behind jumping straight from the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus generation to the tenth-anniversary flagship. Apple wanted to signal a radical departure from past hardware designs rather than an incremental upgrade.
The device introduced Face ID biometric authentication, removing the iconic physical home button. It also marked Apple's transition to Super Retina OLED panels, departing from traditional LCD screens used in earlier iterations. Naming it anything other than a decade marker would have underplayed the structural overhaul. For more details on Apple's historic product lineup, you can check the Apple Newsroom.
Global Regional Staggering
Unlike standard simultaneous global launches, the rollout happened in distinct waves due to strict supply constraints.
Tier one markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, and parts of Europe received stock on November 3. Secondary markets such as South Korea, Thailand, and Turkey received units later that month on November 24. Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines and Colombia joined the distribution map on December 1.
This staggered distribution helped Apple manage severe manufacturing yields at Foxconn assembly lines. Supply chain analysts noted that dot projector modules for the front-facing camera array caused the primary bottleneck.
Hardware Milestones That Defined the Launch
The device arrived with specifications that set industry standards for years to follow. It featured the A11 Bionic processor, featuring a neural engine capable of handling real-time machine learning tasks.
Dual 12-megapixel rear cameras came equipped with dual optical image stabilization. The front-facing TrueDepth system enabled Portrait Mode selfies and introduced animated emoji characters called Animoji.
Pricing broke psychological barriers for mainstream consumers. The base 64GB configuration started at $999 USD, while the 256GB tier cost $1,149 USD. This pricing strategy established a new upper tier for flagship smartphones across the entire industry. To explore deeper hardware specifications, visit GSMArena.
Common Misconceptions About the Launch
Many casual observers confuse the announcement date with the actual retail release date.
Another common error involves assuming the device launched alongside the iPhone 8 on the exact same day. While announced together, the iPhone 8 models hit stores on September 22, 2017, leaving a six-week gap before the tenth-anniversary model reached consumers.
People also frequently mispronounce the model name. Apple explicitly confirmed that the letter X must be pronounced as the Roman numeral "ten," rather than the letter "ex".
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the phone officially discontinued?
Apple officially discontinued the device on September 12, 2018, just ten months after its initial market launch. This aggressive timeline set a precedent for phasing out first-generation redesigns quickly once refined successors like the iPhone XS became ready.
What operating system did it ship with?
The device debuted with iOS 11 out of the box. It received software updates across multiple major generations, ending its primary support lifecycle with iOS 16.
Why did pre-orders sell out so fast?
Yield rates for the front-facing infrared camera and dot projector components were extremely low during early manufacturing runs. Foxconn struggled to assemble units quickly enough to meet the heavy global demand, resulting in weeks-long shipping delays for late buyers.
Was wireless charging supported at launch?
Yes, the glass back panel enabled Qi-certified wireless charging for the first time in an Apple smartphone, allowing users to charge on third-party mats.
