It’s official: Apple sets September 9th date for iPhone launch event: ‘Surprise and Shine’

Apple has officially locked in Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as the date for its highly anticipated fall product event, where the company is expected to unveil its next generation of iPhones — including a rumored foldable model — and more.

Invitations sent to media on August 26 feature the tagline “Surprise and Shine” alongside a glowing Apple logo. The event will begin at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, and will be live-streamed on Apple’s website, the Apple TV app, and YouTube.

This year’s gathering marks a significant milestone: it will be the first major product event under new CEO John Ternus, who is set to take over on September 1st. Ternus, previously Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, is expected to lead the keynote.

According to reports and long-running rumors, the September 9th event is poised to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, along with Apple’s first foldable iPhone — potentially branded the iPhone Ultra. The foldable would represent Apple’s first major form-factor change since the iPhone X in 2017. Analysts and Apple watchers note that a standard iPhone 18 and more affordable models may be held for a spring 2027 launch as part of a revised product cadence.

Beyond phones, the event is also expected to feature updated Apple Watch models (Series 12 and Ultra 4), possible smart home products such as a new home hub or refreshed HomePod mini and Apple TV, and software launch details for iOS 27 and related operating systems. Price increases for the new iPhones have been speculated due to ongoing memory supply constraints.

The “Surprise and Shine” invitation continues Apple’s tradition of cryptic teaser messaging that fuels speculation in the weeks leading up to the show. As with previous September events, pre-orders for the new devices are likely to open shortly after the keynote, with availability following about a week later—though exact dates will be confirmed during the presentation.

MacDailyNews Take: Mark your calendars: on September 9th, all eyes will once again be on Cupertino as Apple aims to deliver both the expected, the shining, and the surprising!

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