John Ternus became Apple’s CEO on September 1. Eight days later, he walks onto the Steve Jobs Theater stage. What he announces will determine whether this is just another iPhone cycle — or the opening move of the most ambitious hardware era Apple has attempted in two decades. Bloomberg’s reporting frames the pipeline as “unusually ambitious.” The centerpiece is a foldable iPhone. Apple’s first. That alone makes Sept. 9 worth paying close attention.
The Foldable iPhone – Apple Enters the Fold
Apple’s long-awaited answer to Samsung arrives with a reportedly crease-minimized hinge and a projected $2,300+ price tag.
For four years, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold owners have unfolded their phones at coffee shops — gimmick or future? Apple finally weighs in. The rumored iPhone Ultra uses a book-style design: a roughly 5.3–5.5 inch outer OLED screen that folds open to reveal a 7.6–7.8 inch inner display, according to pre-event reporting from 9to5Mac. Titanium frame. Touch ID in the power button instead of Face ID, which reportedly makes biometric authentication cleaner across both folded and unfolded states.
The real engineering story is the hinge. Reports suggest Apple prioritized a virtually crease-free inner display — precisely the criticism that has haunted Samsung for years. That’s where the Ultra either justifies its price or doesn’t. Note the trade-off going in: no telephoto lens on this first generation, wide and ultrawide only, according to current leaks. Analyst estimates put the price between $2,300 and $2,500, with chip and modem specifics still unconfirmed by Apple officially.
In an internal memo to Apple employees, Ternus described the upcoming launch as “phenomenal” and wrote that he was “so excited about everything we have in store,” according to Bloomberg.
iPhone 18 Pro, Watch, and Everything Else on Stage
The slab iPhones aren’t coasting — and a quietly significant new home hub deserves more attention than it’s likely to get.
While the foldable draws the crowd, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are the phones most people will actually buy. Upgrades are largely internal: next-generation Apple Silicon, an in-house modem, and a vapor chamber cooling system on the Pro Max for sustained performance during gaming and video capture, as reported by TechTimes. The Pro Max also gets a mechanical aperture system — real depth-of-field control, not just software processing. Expect new color options, familiar design.
Apple Watch Series 12 reportedly adds:
- Ceramic case options
- AI-enhanced Siri
- A rumored all-day continuous heart-rate mode that tracks wellness beyond workout sessions alone
Ultra 4 follows its rugged, sports-oriented formula with iterative sensor and battery refinements. Elsewhere on stage:
- AirPods 5 arrives with a noise-canceling variant
- A refreshed Apple TV gains Siri AI capabilities
- The HomePod mini gets a faster processor
- A roughly 7-inch smart home hub featuring facial recognition, FaceTime, and smart home controls is expected, according to Bloomberg
That home hub is quiet but significant — Apple’s most aggressive push into the living room yet.
Sept. 9 isn’t just a product launch. It’s a strategy reveal. The foldable iPhone, AI-woven devices, and Ternus’s first keynote together signal that Apple spent the Cook era building infrastructure — and is now spending it. The next few upgrade decisions just got genuinely complicated.
