Apple has officially confirmed that its annual fall event will take place on Wednesday, September 9, at Apple Park, carrying the tagline Surprise and shine.
According to Tom’s Guide, the event is set to begin at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST and will be livestreamed on Apple’s website and various social media platforms.
Apple Schedules Major Fall Keynote for September 9
The upcoming presentation marks a major leadership transition for the company. As reported by The News, the keynote will be the first led by incoming CEO John Ternus, who took over the role from Tim Cook following more than two decades running Apple’s hardware engineering division. Because of Labor Day weekend, Apple moved the event from its traditional Tuesday slot to a Wednesday to avoid requiring attendees to travel on a holiday weekend, mirroring the scheduling of the iPhone 14 launch in past years. Pre-orders are expected to open on Friday, September 11, or Saturday, September 12.
New Mac Models and September Hardware Shipments
Ahead of the September keynote, Apple announced a new Mac mini and a new Mac Studio last month. Both desktop lines are scheduled to begin shipping on Tuesday, September 22.
The Mac mini models feature M6 and M5 Pro chips and start at $899. Meanwhile, the Mac Studio configurations equipped with M5 Max and M5 Ultra processors start at $2,499. According to MacRumors, the only exception to the September 22 shipping date is the high-end Mac Studio configuration featuring 512GB of unified memory, which is slated to arrive in late October.
Flagship iPhones and the Anticipated Foldable Ultra
The September event is expected to spotlight high-end mobile hardware while bypassing a standard base iPhone 18 release. Apple is skipping the standard iPhone 18 in September 2026, pushing the base iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 to a spring 2027 release.
Instead, the fall lineup focuses on premium devices, led by the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to introduce a smaller Dynamic Island and an A20 Pro chip, while the larger Pro Max model is rumored to feature an exclusive camera upgrade alongside a larger battery. Analysts have predicted that the new Pro models could cost between $200 and $350 higher than the previous iPhone 17 Pro family.
The headline attraction of the event is expected to be Apple’s first foldable device, frequently referred to as the iPhone Ultra. Leak reports indicate the device will feature a wider shape with a cover screen measuring approximately 5.5 inches and an unfolded display of around 7.8 inches. Expected hardware details include a thickness between 4.5 and 4.8mm when unfolded, a 4,883 mAh battery, an A20 Pro chipset, an in-house C2 modem, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button. Addressing rumors of a potential delay into October, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman stated that he would be “very surprised” if the foldable did not launch alongside or within weeks of the Pro iPhones.
Wearables, Smart Home Devices, and Additional Lineups
Alongside its mobile hardware, Apple is expected to update its wearable ecosystem with the Apple Watch Series 12 and the rugged Apple Watch Ultra 4. Both smartwatches are anticipated to gain faster S12 chips and fitness tracking improvements, while the Apple Watch SE is not receiving a refresh this cycle.
Depending on the specific product roundup, reports from MobileSyrup and Digital Today note that the ecosystem expansion could also incorporate smart home products such as a new Apple TV 4K, a HomePod mini 2, and a HomePad or HomePod Touch designed to offer Siri AI and multiple face detection. Other items, such as a revamped iPad mini and an M6 MacBook Pro, are anticipated for separate releases in October.
