Apple to unveil iPhone 18 Pro lineup — and possibly its first foldable phone — on September 9
Apple will hold its "Surprise and shine" event on September 9, expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max and possibly its first foldable phone, marking the company's first major event since John Ternus became CEO.
The event and a new CEO
Apple will hold its "Surprise and shine" event on September 9, 2026, at 1PM ET (10AM PT) at Apple Park in Cupertino, streamed live on Apple's website, the Apple TV app and YouTube. As The Verge and Times of India report, this will be Apple's first major event since John Ternus became CEO on September 1, taking over from Tim Cook. In India the event starts around 10:30PM local time, while in Australia, according to Finder.com.au, it falls in the early hours of September 10 local time.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
The main announcements are expected to be the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max; the standard iPhone 18 is reportedly being held back — The Verge says it may arrive only next year alongside an iPhone 18E and updated iPhone Air, while Times of India says it could be delayed as far as 2027. The Pro models are rumored to get larger batteries, a smaller Dynamic Island, and possibly a long-rumored variable-aperture camera, which Times of India says could be limited to the Pro Max, paired with three 48MP rear cameras and an upgraded 24MP front camera. Displays are expected to stay at 6.3 and 6.9 inches with OLED panels and 120Hz refresh rates, powered by a new A20 Pro chip (2nm process), up to 12GB of RAM and Apple's C2 modem. Sources disagree on colors: The Verge lists black, silver, light blue and dark cherry purple, while Times of India mentions sky blue, pure black and burgundy. A price increase is also expected; Times of India cites unconfirmed Indian price estimates of around ₹1.34 lakh for the Pro and ₹1.55–1.70 lakh for the Pro Max.
Apple's first foldable
Multiple sources expect Apple to also unveil its first foldable phone, referred to as the "iPhone Ultra" or "iPhone Fold," with a design reportedly resembling Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8. Times of India describes a book-style design with roughly a 7.8-inch inner screen and 5.5-inch cover display, about 4.5mm thick when unfolded, two 48MP cameras, and Touch ID instead of Face ID. Its price could reach $2,000–$2,500.
Other updates and pre-orders
Citing Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, The Verge says an Apple Watch Series 12 could bring back a ceramic case and new health features, alongside a modest AirPods 5 update — camera-equipped AirPods aren't expected before 2027. Finder.com.au notes that pre-orders may open a day later than usual this year, on Saturday, September 12 instead of Friday, September 11, echoing a similar shift in 2015.
