The Apple September 9 event kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Three iPhones are on the bill: the 18 Pro, the 18 Pro Max and, above all, the iPhone Ultra, the company’s first foldable. On September 4, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman published the full slate of devices due between next week and early 2027. Watches, earbuds, an iPad, several Macs: the calendar is packed.
An Apple September 9 event, at 10 a.m. Pacific
Invitations went out on August 26. Two words for a tagline, “Surprise and shine”, set beneath a glowing logo with a sun breaking through it. The keynote starts at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
The running order will not change: a pre-recorded video streamed from Apple Park, then hands-on time reserved for press on site. One thing is different this year, though. It marks the first major public outing for John Ternus, who took charge of the company this week. We look at that leadership change in our coverage of Apple’s next flagship line-up.
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max: the A20 Pro chip takes centre stage
Both Pro models will carry the A20 Pro chip. Apple is also said to be shrinking the Dynamic Island, the black pill that has housed the Face ID sensors since the iPhone 14 Pro. The Camera Control button, introduced on the iPhone 16, would become a purely capacitive control.
Another area of work: cooling. Rumours point to improved vapour chambers. Gamers and video shooters will watch that closely, since earlier generations drew repeated criticism for heating up during long sessions.
Three finishes, including a new dark red
SIM trays have leaked. They suggest a trio of silver, Dark Cherry and sky blue, with no black option this year. Dark Cherry would sit between red and purple, closer to a ripe cherry than an outright red. Several sources also point to a light blue finish.
256GB of storage at the entry point
Base storage would stay at 256GB, matching the iPhone 17 Pro. No further bump this year, then, after the doubling that happened last time around.
The Pro Max would pull further away. Slightly thicker to make room for a larger battery, it could gain an exclusive variable aperture camera. That would be an unusual split, since the two Pro models have shared the same camera hardware until now.
iPhone Ultra: Apple’s first foldable
Here is the real headline of the Apple September 9 event. Cupertino’s foldable, provisionally named iPhone Ultra, would finally emerge after years of rumours.
The specifications making the rounds describe a book-style device: a 7.7-inch inner display, a 5.3-inch outer panel. On the back, two 48-megapixel sensors, one wide and one ultra wide. A single front camera.
One technical choice stands out: Face ID would give way to a Touch ID sensor built into the power button. Thickness explains that decision, since the TrueDepth module fits awkwardly inside a folding chassis. Apple has also reportedly worked hard on the crease, which would be far less noticeable than on rival foldables.
The software follows the hardware. iOS 27 will offer more landscape apps, side-by-side display and several multitasking features tuned for that large screen. The entry ticket would start at $2,000, above the Korean and Chinese benchmarks. We detail the known specifications in our iPhone Ultra deep dive.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4: continuous heart-rate tracking
An S11 chip or newer, longer battery life: both watches follow the same path. The most interesting change concerns the heart-rate sensor, which would run all day long rather than only during workouts.
The Series 12 could revisit a ceramic case, a material dropped after the Series 5. No major visual overhaul, however: both models would stay in line with the current Series 11 and Ultra 3. Touch ID on the watch, floated at one point, appears to be off the table.
The Ultra 4 plays a different card, satellite. Apple Maps would become usable outside network coverage, and sending photos through Messages via satellite would reach the Ultra 3 and newer. For hiking or sailing, that is probably the most tangible addition of the year.
AirPods 5, OLED iPad mini, M6 iMac: the rest of the calendar
September 9 is only a starting point. Bloomberg lists the following devices between now and early 2027:
- AirPods 5: two versions, with and without active noise cancellation, as early as this month.
- Beats 360: over-ear headphones with an AirPods Max-like design, interchangeable cushions and headbands, up to 1.75 times more noise cancellation than the Beats Studio Pro, IPX4 water resistance.
- iPad mini: A19 Pro or A20 Pro chip, OLED display, vibration-based speakers, water-resistant design. Expected in October.
- iMac: M6 chip and new colour options.
- MacBook Pro: a 14-inch base model with an M6 chip.
- MacBook Ultra: a major redesign in late 2026 or early 2027, with an OLED panel, a touch screen, a Dynamic Island, a thinner body and M5 Pro or M5 Max chips.
- Apple TV: an A17 Pro chip or newer, 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, an Apple-designed N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7, an updated remote.
- HomePod mini: a newer chip, Siri AI, better sound, the N1 chip and a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.
- Home Hub: an all-new 6 to 7-inch smart display, in tabletop and wall-mounted versions, running a dedicated operating system.
The Mac mini and Mac Studio, for their part, are already up for pre-order and land on September 22. M6 and M5 Pro for the former, M5 Max and M5 Ultra for the latter, with up to 512GB of unified memory.
Pre-orders and availability: what we know
Apple usually opens pre-orders on the first Friday after its keynote. The snag this year: that Friday falls on September 11, the 25th anniversary of the 2001 attacks. The company already faced this calendar in 2015 and pushed the opening to Saturday, September 12, at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time.
The same scenario is taking shape: pre-orders on Saturday, September 12, retail availability on September 18. One exception, though, the iPhone Ultra. Its release would slip to the fourth quarter of 2026, with pre-orders staggered against the Pro models.
What the Apple September 9 event changes for you
Own an iPhone 17 Pro? The case for switching looks thin: same base storage, same broad outline, a faster chip and a few adjustments. Coming from an iPhone 15 Pro or older, the gap widens considerably, especially on thermal management and battery life.
The iPhone Ultra aims elsewhere. At $2,000 and up, it does not replace a Pro model, it opens a category. Everything will hinge on daily use of that inner display, and the answer will owe as much to iOS 27 as to the hardware itself.
For the Series 12 and Ultra 4, permanent heart-rate tracking is a real argument if you treat your watch as a health tool. The satellite features stay niche, but they can change everything in the mountains or at sea.
See you Wednesday
Between a long-awaited foldable and brand-new leadership, the Apple September 9 event shapes up as one of the busiest in a long while. A caveat, though: everything above is rumour, however well sourced. Only the keynote will settle it.
We will be following the event live on Wanda-techs.com. Does the iPhone Ultra tempt you, or has the price already put you off? Tell us in the comments.
Where to buy at the best price
Apple iPhone 18 Pro 256 Go
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