What we expect from the upcoming Apple launch
What we expect from the upcoming Apple launch. Fallon/Bloomberg / Getty Images Hardware What we expect from the upcoming Apple launch Amanda Silberling 8:58 AM PDT · September 7, 2026 It’s finally happening — this week, we are (probably) about to see Apple’s first foldable iPhone, more than five years after Samsung launched its first foldable phone.
What happened
2B Julie Bort Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news Related Hardware What we expect from the upcoming Apple launch Amanda Silberling 2 hours ago Hardware Who is John Ternus, the new Apple CEO? While Apple's first foldable iPhone Ultra will headline the September 9 launch, we're also expecting news about AirPods and HomePods. As Tim Cook hands off the CEO role to former Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus, people have high expectations for Apple’s next devices, especially since the company is embracing an entirely new form factor.
While Apple is usually tight-lipped about its product launches, there are always inevitable leaks, giving us insight into what we might see during the September 9 Apple event. However, the phone is expected to have a dual-lens rear camera system with a main and an ultra-wide lens, similar to what’s on Apple’s more basic iPhones. Apple is also expected to release some new devices in the iPhone 18 line. Now that Apple is finally moving forward with its Gemini-powered Siri AI update, the company is also expected to refresh the HomePod, a smart speaker and Apple’s answer to devices like the Amazon Echo line.
The wider picture
Leaks and rumors have left just about everyone expecting news about Pro-level iPhones and a long-awaited Apple foldable device. What to ExpectThanks to leaks from sources like Bloomberg, the event is widely expected to be the moment Apple finally announces its long-rumored foldable iPhone. Apple is also expected to focus on premium products, chiefly the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4. That means Apple may push the launch of its base iPhone 18 to the spring of 2027.
Apple’s iPhone event will be held on September 9 at 10 am Pacific (1 pm Eastern), announced last week with the title “Surprise and Shine! ” If you tune into the livestream, expect the announcement of an iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and, if all the rumors and widely held analyst expectations are true, the first look at an Apple foldable device. Based on leaks and the ongoing tech rumor mill and its decent track record for figuring these things out, Apple is expected to prioritize its more expensive, premium devices this year and hold off on announcing its base model iPhone 18.
“Then the mid/budget devices will be launched in the spring. ”Popal says it's a smart strategic move because Apple is aiming to spread out its revenue between a usually very strong fourth quarter and a typically much weaker spring quarter the following year. Julian ChokkattuHow to Watch the Apple September EventApple’s annual hardware launch event may feel different as the company welcomes a new CEO alongside a folding iPhone.
What has been reported
Tim Cook stepped down as CEO this week, handing the company to former hardware chief John Ternus, whose first memo promised a “huge launch next week” — timing that puts Apple’s next iPhone event on his desk before he’s even settled in. Apple’s annual iPhone release events are always interesting in one way or another, but this year’s presentation is one of the most anticipated in a while. What we think we know so far about the foldable “iPhone Ultra” If Apple has made its consumers wait over half a decade for it to enter the foldable market, its first attempt had better be good — especially since reports indicate that the phone will cost more than $2,000.
At least it’s not as pricey as the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro headset, and unlike headsets, people actually buy smartphones. According to Bloomberg’s Apple insider Mark Gurman, the foldable iPhone has a premium feel, fits nicely into a pocket, and opens up into a wide, iPad-like display. To make hardware that’s still sleek enough to pocket when folded, Apple has had to make some concessions. Rumor has it that Apple will include MagSafe, the magnetic wireless charging and accessory system, but that it will forego Face ID to save space, relying instead on a Touch ID fingerprint button on the phone’s side.
Like other foldable phones, the iPhone Ultra is expected to support side-by-side multitasking, letting you run two apps at once, one on each half of the unfolded screen.
What happens next
Even though it’ll resemble a small iPad when opened up, it will still run iOS rather than iPadOS, though shouldn’t be cause for concern, since Apple’s newest chips are powerful enough to handle it. In fact, the same chip reportedly powers Apple’s budget MacBook Neo laptop. It’s a hard problem to solve and one that maybe isn’t worth the technical effort, though Apple has supposedly created a display where the crease isn’t as visible.
That would be a first for Apple — releasing the premium models before the standard one. The most surprising find, however, is that Apple appears to be working on AirPods with built-in cameras. While some users may be skittish about using a device that can see what they see — comparisons to Meta’s maligned “pervert glasses” are inevitable — we have some degree of hope that a company like Apple, which has built its brand on privacy, will do better.
Gurman has reported that “the cameras essentially act as eyes for the Siri digital assistant and aren’t designed to take photos or video. ” Instead, the earbuds’ components allow it to “capture visual information in low resolution. ” Topics Apple, Hardware, iPhone When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across techcrunch.com, wired.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.