Apple Announces September 9 Event to Unveil Foldable iPhone

Apple Inc. confirmed its Surprise and Shine event for September 9 at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. The company is expected to reveal the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, alongside its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Ultra. The foldable device reportedly features a dual-screen design with a 19.8cm internal screen and a 13.5cm external screen. Other expected reveals include the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, iPad mini 8, and AirPods Pro.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is anticipated to feature significant hardware upgrades, including the A20 Pro chip utilizing a 2nm process for an 18% performance increase and 30% lower power consumption. Other rumored specs include a 5,567mAh battery, a variable-aperture primary camera, and an in-house C2 modem to reduce reliance on Qualcomm Inc. The Pro models may also feature a smaller Dynamic Island due to under-display Face ID components. These upgrades may drive price increases of $100 to $300, while the iPhone Ultra could cost between $2,000 and $2,500.

Departing from tradition, Apple is predicted to open pre-orders for the Pro models and Apple Watches at midnight Pacific Time on Saturday, September 12, to avoid the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The iPhone Ultra may have a separate, later pre-order date. Additionally, the event will mark the first public appearance of John Ternus as CEO, succeeding Tim Cook on September 1. Separately, Apple has already opened pre-orders for new Mac mini and Mac Studio desktops featuring M5-series chips, with a release date of September 22.