iPhone 12: Apple Store goes down ahead of release of new phones

Apple's online store has gone down ahead of the release of the new iPhone 12.

"You're... early," reads a message on the site. "Enjoy the extra sleep."

The site appears to be showing different messages to different users, based on time.

“The weekend’s almost here," another message read. "And so is pre-order.”

Orders for the new phone open at 5am pacific time, or 1pm in the UK. Apple used to release the new phones at midnight local time – which left people in the US setting alarms to wake up to order – but has in recent years shifted the time to be later in the day, presumably to allow them to get more rest.

Apple has long maintained a tradition of taking its online store down ahead of major releases. In recent times, the website has been redesigned but the site is nonetheless taken down – it is unclear whether the decision is a technical requirement, or just undertaken to build excitement ahead of the reveal.

Apple revealed the new iPhones during a live-streamed event this week, showing off four versions of the new handset: the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Only the two middle sizes – the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro – will be released when the shop goes back online. The other two more unusual sizes – the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max – will not be released until November.

The best iPhone deals can be found here, ready for when pre-orders do open.