Apple has chosen September 9 for a hardware gathering it calls "Surprise and Shine," and though the company has only confirmed the date, the contours of what will appear are already drawn in rumour. It marks the first stage for John Ternus since he succeeded Tim Cook, so the event carries the weight of a new leader stepping into a familiar ritual. Much of the attention rests on a foldable iPhone, a form the company has long resisted, and whether it arrives as a considered answer or a late entry will shape how the year's devices are remembered.
Apple's September 9 Event Could Debut Its First Foldable iPhone Alongside iPhone 18 Pro Models
Apple has confirmed the date. Nearly everything else is rumour.
Why does this keynote matter more than a typical September event?
Two reasons. It's John Ternus's first product launch as CEO after Tim Cook, and Apple is rumoured to show its first foldable iPhone.
What's the foldable supposed to look like?
Book-style, with an inner display around 7.7 to 7.8 inches, a titanium hinge to reduce the crease, an A20 chip and dual 48-megapixel cameras, but no telephoto lens.
Let me stop us there. Apple confirmed the date and the event name. Everything about the foldable is reported or tipped, including the name iPhone Ultra.
And the price?
Expected around $1,999 to $2,399, which would make it the most expensive iPhone Apple has made.
That's an expectation, not an announcement. The claim that supply stays tight into the last quarter is some analysts' view, too.
What about the Watch?
A new chip would be notable, since the Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE 3 all used the S10. Hypertension notification work is also reported.
But the Touch ID side button has no corroboration from reliable watchers, and the thinner Ultra 4 comes from supply-chain reports nobody else has matched. Treat both as unproven.
And what's absent?
The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 are reportedly slated for spring 2027, and home products may come in October or November.
El Pulso
- Apple's first foldable iPhone, tipped as the iPhone Ultra, is expected to start between $1,999 and $2,399, which would make it the most expensive iPhone yet.
- Supply may stay tight into the final quarter, putting pressure on early buyers and on the company's ability to meet demand.
- The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 are reportedly pushed to spring 2027, leaving September's lineup narrower than many expected.
- Pre-orders could open September 11 or 12, with stores receiving devices around September 18 or 19, and iOS 27 and watchOS 27 dates expected the same week.
- Several rumours, including a Touch ID side button on the watch and a thinner Ultra 4, remain uncorroborated and could fall away on stage.
Apple has chosen September 9 for a hardware gathering it calls "Surprise and Shine," and though the company has only confirmed the date, the contours of what will appear are already drawn in rumour. It marks the first stage for John Ternus since he succeeded Tim Cook, so the event carries the weight of a new leader stepping into a familiar ritual. Much of the attention rests on a foldable iPhone, a form the company has long resisted, and whether it arrives as a considered answer or a late entry will shape how the year's devices are remembered.
Apple has set September 9 for a hardware event it calls "Surprise and Shine," and the company has confirmed little beyond the date. The keynote is also the first product launch for John Ternus since he took over as CEO from Tim Cook, which gives the stage a sense of a new chapter being written.
The device drawing the most attention is a foldable iPhone, widely expected to be named the iPhone Ultra. Reports describe a book-style design with an inner display of about 7.7 to 7.8 inches, a titanium hinge meant to reduce the crease that has troubled rival foldables, and an A20 chip. The price could reach $1,999 to $2,399, and some analysts warn that supply may stay tight late into the year.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to follow Apple's familiar pattern of meaningful internal changes inside a recognisable shell, including a smaller Dynamic Island and a variable-aperture camera. The standard iPhone 18, 18e and Air 2, however, are reportedly delayed to spring 2027. On the watch side, the Series 12 and Ultra 4 may finally gain a new processor aimed at more advanced health tracking, with blood-pressure monitoring work continuing.
If Apple keeps to its usual rhythm, pre-orders could open within days of the keynote, with devices reaching shops about a week later. Home products may wait for a separate event in the autumn.
Apple has set September 9 as the date for a hardware event it is calling "Surprise and Shine," and the company has confirmed that much. Nearly everything else about what will appear on stage comes from rumour. The keynote carries extra weight because it is the first product launch for John Ternus since he took over as CEO from Tim Cook.
The device drawing the most attention is a foldable iPhone, widely tipped to be named the iPhone Ultra. Reports describe a book-style design that opens to an inner display of roughly 7.7 to 7.8 inches, with an iPad-like aspect ratio. A titanium alloy hinge is said to be engineered to minimise the crease that has dogged rival foldables. The phone is expected to run on the A20 chip and carry dual 48-megapixel cameras, without a telephoto lens. Face ID may be dropped in favour of Touch ID built into the frame, a workaround for tight internal space.
Price is the other headline. The expected starting range is about $1,999 to $2,399, which would make it Apple's most expensive iPhone ever. Some analysts suggest supply could stay tight well into the final quarter of the year.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to follow Apple's familiar pattern: meaningful changes under the hood inside a recognisable shell. Rumours point to a slightly smaller Dynamic Island, an improved OLED display, and a variable-aperture main camera meant to behave more like a traditional DSLR lens. Both are tipped to use the new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2nm process, possibly paired with Apple's next-generation C2 modem and N2 networking chip. A dark cherry colour and a new light blue are also rumoured.
The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2 are reportedly pushed to a separate launch in spring 2027, so they should not be expected on September 9.
On the wrist, the Apple Watch Series 12 is not expected to look different, but it may finally change processors. The Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE 3 all shipped with the same S10 chip, so a new one would be the headline change, aimed at supporting more advanced health-tracking software. Reports also point to continued work on hypertension notifications, which build on an existing feature that studies heart-sensor data over time to flag patterns linked to chronic high blood pressure. A Touch ID sensor in the side button has been floated too, but it remains one of the shakier rumours, with no corroboration from typically reliable Apple watchers.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is expected to get the same chip upgrade, plus possible refinements to its sensing hardware and the same blood-pressure-related monitoring. Some supply-chain reports suggest a slightly thinner build, but that claim has not been backed up elsewhere and deserves caution. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected, since the current model was only refreshed in 2025.
Rumoured updates to the HomePod, Apple TV and a new smart home hub may be held for a separate event later in the year, possibly in October or November.
The event begins at 10 am Pacific Time (11:30 pm IST) and will stream on Apple's website, the Apple TV app and YouTube. If Apple keeps to its usual pattern, pre-orders could open September 11 or 12, with devices in stores around September 18 or 19. Release dates for iOS 27 and watchOS 27 are also expected to be confirmed that week.