Apple has officially scheduled its fall hardware event, dubbed 'Surprise and Shine,' for Wednesday, September 9, starting at 10:00 a.m. PT at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. The date breaks from Apple's usual Tuesday pattern, likely due to its proximity to Labor Day. The event is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Apple's first foldable smartphone, referred to as the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold.
The iPhone Ultra is expected to be the star of the show, marking Apple's entry into the foldable phone market years after Android competitors. Leaks and reports point to a passport-style design that is short and squat when closed, though with some asymmetry — including a possibly off-center front camera — that departs from Apple's usual design consistency. The device is rumored to feature a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, and could be the thinnest iPhone ever at roughly 4.5mm open and 9 to 9.5mm closed, putting it on par with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Reports suggest Apple has worked to minimize the crease on the foldable display, reportedly using a Liquid Metal hinge and collaborating with Samsung Display on crease-reduction technology. The iPhone Ultra is also expected to be powered by Apple's first 2nm chip, the A20 Pro, which is also expected in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, and to include a roughly 4,883 mAh split battery. Trade-offs are expected too: the device is said to include only two rear cameras (wide and ultra-wide, without telephoto zoom) and two selfie cameras, and to rely on Touch ID built into the side button rather than Face ID due to space constraints. It's expected to run iOS 27 with foldable-specific features such as adaptive display modes and split-screen multitasking similar to iPad.
Price estimates for the iPhone Ultra range from $2,000 to as much as $2,500, which would make it more expensive than comparable foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 ($1,900), the Fold 8 Ultra ($2,100), and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold ($1,900). Despite the high price, IDC analyst Nabila Popal believes Apple can still hit its reported goal of shipping 10 million iPhone Ultra units in the first year, saying the device targets 'a very elite set of consumers' who 'will be lining up to buy the device.' IDC reportedly projects the iPhone Ultra could account for 40% of all foldable shipments in 2027, potentially outselling Samsung, which aimed to produce 6.3 million foldables in 2026 before adding another million Galaxy Z Fold 8 units following positive reception.
Some reports suggest the iPhone Ultra could be hard to find at launch, with one claim indicating Apple may only have between 0.5 and 1 million units ready initially — a fraction of the 10 million target — due to tighter manufacturing tolerances required for the hinge and display. There are also reports that Apple could stagger the global rollout, with the U.S. potentially getting the device before other regions such as China, Australia, the U.K., and parts of Europe.
Beyond the iPhones, Apple's September 9 event is expected to include the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, a new Apple TV 4K, and possibly a HomePod mini refresh and a long-rumored HomePod-based home hub device. Apple is also expected to detail software updates including iOS 27, though the standard iPhone 18 and a possible iPhone 18e may be pushed to a separate event in early 2027 rather than appearing in September.