September 8, 2026 — In less than 24 hours, Apple will hold its "Surprise and Shine" event at the Steve Jobs Theater. It will be the company's most product-dense keynote in years — and the first major launch under a new CEO [citation:1][citation:5].

John Ternus, who officially took over as Apple's CEO on September 1, will make his public debut [citation:3][citation:8]. Tim Cook, now Executive Chairman, is expected to attend the event but will not appear on stage [citation:8].

What's coming? Here's the final preview before the big reveal.

John Ternus's CEO Debut

On September 1, John Ternus officially replaced Tim Cook as Apple's CEO after 15 years [citation:3][citation:8]. Ternus, Apple's former SVP of Hardware Engineering, has been with the company since 2001 and played a central role in the Mac's transition to Apple Silicon [citation:8].

On his first day, Ternus sent a memo to employees promising that the September 9 event would be "phenomenal" [citation:8]. He also opened a Weibo account, posting a bilingual "hello" — a signal of his attention to the Chinese market [citation:8][citation:13].

Tim Cook, who remains as Executive Chairman, wrote in his farewell memo: "I feel relieved to hand over control to someone brilliant, extraordinary, and capable like John" [citation:3].

The Foldable iPhone: Ultra vs. Duo

For years, Apple has watched the foldable market grow. On September 9, it finally enters it — with its most expensive iPhone ever [citation:1][citation:5][citation:7].

The Name Debate

Which name will Apple choose? Two contenders have emerged [citation:7][citation:12]:

• iPhone Ultra: The long-running favorite. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that internal engineering teams frequently refer to the project as "Ultra" [citation:7][citation:12]. The suffix already exists in Apple's lineup (Apple Watch Ultra, M-series Ultra chips).
• iPhone Duo: A last-minute contender, reportedly spotted on the CASETiFY website before the page was removed [citation:2][citation:7]. The name emphasizes the device's dual-display nature. Apple has used "Duo" before — PowerBook Duo in the 1990s, MagSafe Duo Charger [citation:2][citation:12].

What We Know

The hardware itself is clearer than the name. The foldable iPhone is expected to feature a book-style horizontal fold with two displays [citation:1][citation:5]:

Apple's foldable is being designed to be iPad mini-sized when opened and phone-sized when closed — a true two-in-one device [citation:1].

iPhone 18 Pro Series: The 2nm Leap

While the foldable iPhone will dominate headlines, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be the devices most customers actually buy [citation:1][citation:5][citation:11].

A20 Pro: Apple's First 2nm Chip

The A20 Pro is expected to be Apple's first chip manufactured on TSMC's 2nm process — a significant leap from the 3nm A19 Pro [citation:11][citation:14]. According to supply chain sources, the chip will feature:

• 4 high-performance cores + 2 efficiency cores (redesigned CPU layout) [citation:9]
• 7-core GPU — Apple's largest ever [citation:9]
• WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module) packaging, bringing memory closer to the processor for faster AI processing [citation:14]
• Apple's C2 modem for improved 5G connectivity [citation:14]

The A20 Pro is expected to power the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone — making 2026 the year Apple's entire premium lineup moves to 2nm [citation:9].

Variable Aperture and Smaller Dynamic Island

The camera system is also expected to see upgrades [citation:1][citation:11]. The iPhone 18 Pro Max may feature a mechanical variable-aperture main camera — a first for iPhone — giving users more control over light and depth-of-field effects. The Dynamic Island is expected to be smaller, with some Face ID components moving under the display [citation:11]. The Pro Max may also receive a 6x optical zoom, up from 5x [citation:11].

Colors and Pricing

The Pro models are expected to come in new colors, including a "Dark Cherry" (暗樱桃色) option [citation:1][citation:11]. Pricing is expected to rise:

• iPhone 18 Pro: ~$1,199–$1,399 [citation:1]
• iPhone 18 Pro Max: ~$1,299–$1,399 [citation:1]

The standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 — which some had expected — will not appear. They've been delayed to spring 2027 [citation:1][citation:5].

Supply Alert: Why It Might Be Hard to Get

According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Apple's foldable iPhone production is facing serious challenges [citation:5]. As of late August, daily production was only in the "hundreds" — far below the tens of thousands needed for a normal launch [citation:5].

Apple reportedly conducted an additional trial production run in August and pushed back the mass production timeline by several weeks [citation:5]. The reason? Apple's strict quality standards for the hinge mechanism and screen flatness — key components of a foldable device that must meet Apple's high durability expectations [citation:5].

Apple Watch & AirPods: Ecosystem Refresh

Beyond iPhones, Apple is expected to refresh its wearables lineup [citation:1][citation:5][citation:15].

Apple Watch Series 12

Expected to feature a new S-series chip, health sensor improvements, and a return of the ceramic case option [citation:1][citation:5][citation:15]. The design is expected to remain largely unchanged [citation:5].

Apple Watch Ultra 4

Improved health and fitness tracking features [citation:5][citation:15].

AirPods 5

Apple is expected to continue the dual-version strategy from AirPods 4 — one model with Active Noise Cancellation and one without [citation:5][citation:15]. Camera-equipped AirPods are not expected until 2027 [citation:5][citation:15].

Home Products

The event may also include refreshed Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2, and possibly a preview of the long-rumored "HomePad" — Apple's 7-inch smart home hub [citation:1][citation:5].

Key Takeaways