Apple has officially set its annual iPhone event for Wednesday, September 9, at Apple Park, running at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET/6 p.m. BST under the tagline 'Surprise and shine.' The event falls on a Wednesday rather than the usual Tuesday because of the Labor Day holiday, a scheduling pattern Apple has used before. It will mark the first major event hosted by new CEO John Ternus, who is stepping in after Tim Cook officially stepped down on August 31. Pre-order timing is unclear: one report says iPhones typically go up for pre-order the Friday after the event, which would be September 11, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said pre-orders will be pushed to Saturday, September 12, with sales beginning September 18.
The headline announcement is expected to be the iPhone Ultra, Apple's first foldable iPhone. It's rumored to feature a passport-style design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with a 7.8-inch main foldable display and a 5.5-inch cover screen, measuring between 4.5 and 4.8mm when unfolded. It's expected to run the new A20 Pro chip and Apple's in-house C2 modem, include a 4,883 mAh battery, and use Touch ID in the power button instead of Face ID. The rear is expected to house two 48MP cameras (wide and ultrawide) but no telephoto lens, plus two 24MP selfie cameras. Gurman believes Apple has gotten 'somewhat close' to eliminating the display crease but hasn't fully cracked it, while a separate unboxing video reportedly showed a dummy unit with a still-visible crease. Gurman expects the Ultra to be positioned mainly for web browsing, video watching and gaming rather than full multitasking, and says Apple's app ecosystem should be better optimized for foldables 'from day one' compared to Android rivals. He also expects MagSafe support. Pricing is expected to land at $2,000 or higher, and one report suggests availability could be 'extremely limited' at launch.
Alongside the Ultra, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with the standard iPhone 18 and Plus models reportedly delayed until spring 2027 alongside an iPhone 18e. Compared to the iPhone 17 Pro, the 18 Pro is expected to keep the same 6.3-inch display size but add a smaller Dynamic Island and newer LTPO+ display technology. It's expected to use a new A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process, versus the 17 Pro's A19 Pro chip, along with a slightly larger 4,288 mAh battery (up from 4,252 mAh) and a new C2 modem. RAM stays at 12GB on both. Camera rumors point to a variable-aperture main lens and a longer 5x optical zoom telephoto, though some reports say the variable aperture and an even longer 6x zoom could be exclusive to the Pro Max, while the Pro model may be limited to a 5x zoom. The Camera Control button is expected to lose its capacitive functions while keeping its ability to adjust settings. Pricing is expected to rise, with estimates ranging from $100–$200 to as much as $200–$250 more than the iPhone 17 Pro.
Color leaks are mixed. One tipster predicts the iPhone 18 Pro lineup will come in just three colors — dark cherry (replacing last year's Cosmic Orange), sky blue and black — with no silver option, a shift from the 17 Pro's cosmic orange, deep blue and silver. However, an unboxing video of dummy units showed four colors, including a maroon-ish shade, black, silver and blue, suggesting the final lineup may still include silver.
Beyond phones, Apple is expected to unveil AirPods 5 with modest upgrades (a new chip, volume controls and a heart sensor) rather than the camera-equipped AirPods Ultra, which isn't expected until 2027. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected with a new S12 chip and incremental health features, but no major redesign; Gurman also predicts a return of an optional ceramic case option, last seen on the 2019 Series 5, though a ceramic price could run as high as $1,499. An updated Apple TV 4K is also expected, potentially using the A17 Pro chip and Apple's N1 chip, alongside a possible redesigned HomePod-style smart home hub and a new HomePod mini, both intended to work with Apple's upgraded Siri AI introduced with iOS 27.
Not everything is expected to appear at the September event. Reports suggest the base iPhone 18, the camera-equipped AirPods Ultra, new Macs with M6 chips, an OLED iPad mini, and a new Apple Watch SE are all likely to be held back for later announcements. Final details on pricing, features and exact device lineups are expected to be confirmed when Ternus takes the stage on September 9.