Apple announced Wednesday that its next hardware launch event will take place on September 9 at its Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, under the tagline “Surprise and Shine.” The event carries added significance as the first Apple keynote to take place under incoming CEO John Ternus, who is scheduled to take over from Tim Cook on September 1.
What’s Expected
Apple is widely expected to unveil its long-awaited foldable iPhone at the event, a device that has been the subject of years of rumors. Alongside it, Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, though reports indicate these two models will be relatively iterative upgrades rather than a major redesign. According to prior reporting, Apple will not announce a standard iPhone 18 until next year, breaking from its usual pattern of releasing Pro and standard models together.
Beyond phones, Apple is expected to introduce the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra, along with new smart home devices. The company may also use the event to announce launch dates for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and other upcoming software updates.
Why the Leadership Change Matters
This will be the first Apple product event led by John Ternus as CEO, marking a significant transition for a company that has been led by Tim Cook since 2011. How Ternus presents the event, and whether Apple’s product strategy or messaging shifts under his leadership, will be closely watched by investors and industry observers as an early signal of his approach at the helm.
The Foldable iPhone Context
A foldable iPhone would represent Apple’s entry into a device category that competitors, including Samsung, have offered for several years. Apple has historically waited to enter new hardware categories until it believes the underlying technology and its own design standards have matured, a pattern seen with products from the Apple Watch to AirPods. If confirmed, a foldable iPhone launch would signal Apple’s judgment that foldable display technology, battery, and durability standards have reached a point suitable for its flagship product line.
Why It Matters
The September 9 event is one of Apple’s most closely watched dates of the year, both for its usual iPhone news cycle and for the added context of a CEO transition happening in the same window. For consumers, the event will clarify pricing and availability for the new iPhone lineup ahead of the holiday shopping season. For investors, it’s an early data point on how Apple’s product strategy holds up under new leadership, and whether the company follows through on years of foldable iPhone speculation.
What to Watch For
The event will stream live from Apple Park at 10 a.m. PT on September 9. Confirmation of the foldable iPhone, final pricing across the lineup, and any surprises in Ternus’s first keynote presentation are the details most likely to shape coverage in the days following the event.
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