What investors should expect at Ternus’s first iPhone launch as CEO

What investors should expect at Ternus’s first iPhone launch as CEO. TechGadgetsReportApple says ‘Fold’ and competitors ask ‘How wide? ’Tomorrow’s launch of its first foldable iPhone proves Apple still calls the shots. by Dominic PrestonSep 8, 2026, 12:00 PM UTCNew Apple CEO John Ternus’ first hardware launch has already proved the company’s industry influence. | Image: The Verge / Getty ImagesTechGadgetsReportApple says ‘Fold’ and competitors ask ‘How wide? ’Tomorrow’s launch of its first foldable iPhone proves Apple still calls the shots. by Dominic PrestonSep 8, 2026, 12:00 PM UTCDominic Preston is a news editor with over a decade’s experience in journalism.

What happened

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. The standard iPhone 18 model isn’t expected to launch until next year. Apple is almost certain to launch its first foldable iPhone tomorrow, seven years after Samsung’s Galaxy Fold initially went on sale.

And while Apple might be a few years late to the party, the run-up to this launch proves that new CEO John Ternus has inherited a company that’s as influential as it’s ever been. For one, the arrival of some iPhone 18 models will likely be delayed — the Pros will be available first, but the regular 18 is supposedly set to launch early next year instead. From Apple’s perspective, this launch matters for another reason: It’s John Ternus’ first hardware release as CEO.

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.

The wider picture

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. 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. Apple is also expected to release some new devices in the iPhone 18 line. Skip NavigationMarketsBusinessInvestingTechPolitics & PolicyVideoWatchlistInvesting ClubPROLivestreamMenuKey PointsXiaomi and Huawei launched new foldable smartphones ahead of Apple’s Wednesday event, where the company is rumored to unveil its first foldable iPhone.

In this article1810-HKAAPLFollow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTwatch nowVIDEO4:3604:36New foldable competitors to iPhone: Here's what to knowSquawk BoxHuawei and Xiaomi this week rolled out their latest foldable phones as the Chinese tech giants look to steal a lead on rival Apple, which is rumored to launch its first foldable iPhone on Wednesday. Apple is holding an event on Wednesday, where it is rumored to be unveiling the first foldable iPhone, a major new product under new CEO John Ternus.

Aside from the foldable iPhone Ultra, Apple is also expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, for people who want an upgrade but don’t see the appeal of the foldable, or who don’t want to pay the rumored $2,000 price for the iPhone Ultra. Leaks and rumors have left just about everyone expecting news about Pro-level iPhones and a long-awaited Apple foldable device.

What has been reported

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. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianReviewPixel 11 review: Google sets the bar for standard flagship phonesLonger battery life, faster chip, actually useful AI tools and better cameras keep quality Android ahead of competitionGoogle’s Pixel 11 continues to set the standard for what you should expect from the base model of a flagship phone with class-leading cameras, long software support and almost all the bells and whistles of its most expensive phones.

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.

That cheaper model is rumored to launch in the spring of 2027, potentially alongside an iPhone 18e and maybe a second-generation iPhone Air. In July, the company launched an iPhone leasing program that lets people pay a monthly fee to rent the newest iPhones, then swap them out when a new device releases.

What happens next

Tomorrow’s iPhone event is likely to be a little different than what we’re used to. But leaks and rumors have consistently suggested that Apple will instead pair the release of its Pros with the first foldable iPhone, which is likely to be short, squat, and wide, about the size and shape of a passport. If you’ve been following the phone industry this year, that should sound a little familiar. After all, Huawei’s Pura X Max launched back in April, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 in July, and Xiaomi’s 18 Fold yesterday.

The foldable iPhone hasn’t even been officially teased yet, let alone announced, so how could these Android OEMs possibly have copied it? The company has reportedly been working on a foldable iPhone since at least 2017, with leakers tipping the smaller, wider form factor as early as February 2025. Samsung in particular has probably known of Apple’s plans for some time, since it’s reportedly the manufacturer of the foldable display panel inside the new iPhone.

The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across theverge.com, techcrunch.com, cnbc.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.