Apple's September 9 keynote opens the Ternus era with a foldable iPhone debut

A new CEO opens the show

Apple's September 9 launch event, branded "Surprise and shine," kicked off at 10AM PT / 1PM ET with something the company has not seen in more than a decade: a product keynote opened by a brand-new chief executive. According to The Verge, John Ternus took the stage for his first product launch since succeeding Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, telling the audience, "I think you're gonna like what you're gonna see."

Ternus is far from a newcomer. The Verge reports he has spent more than two decades at Apple, working through both the Steve Jobs and Tim Cook eras, most recently as the company's head of hardware engineering. His elevation comes amid a broader turnover in Apple's senior ranks following the departure of several longtime executives, and Cook remains on as executive chairman of the board.

The foldable iPhone takes center stage

The biggest expected announcement is Apple's first foldable iPhone, long rumored under the name "iPhone Duo." The Verge reports that leaks have consistently pointed to a device that is short, squat, and wide — roughly the size and shape of a passport — and that Apple is likely to launch it alongside the new Pro models rather than the standard lineup.

If it lands, the device would arrive well after the competition. Samsung debuted its own passport-style foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, a couple of months before Apple's event, and the original Galaxy Fold first went on sale roughly seven years ago, meaning Apple has spent years watching the category from the sidelines.

An unconventional iPhone rollout

This year's launch may not follow the usual script. According to The Verge, the standard iPhone 18 may not arrive until early next year, which would leave the pricier Pro models and the new foldable to carry the September event on their own.

Beyond phones, the keynote is expected to cover operating system updates and new Apple Watches, with fresh AirPods, an updated Apple TV, and new smart home hardware all cited by The Verge as possibilities.

Price pressure hangs over the lineup

Ternus inherits a company facing what The Verge describes as some of its most consequential challenges in years: a push to prove itself in artificial intelligence, an increasingly complicated geopolitical landscape, and a memory supply crunch the outlet has nicknamed "RAMageddon." That shortage raises the possibility that this cycle's devices could launch at higher prices than customers have come to expect.

The new CEO has not been shy about the stakes. In the run-up to the event, The Verge notes, he described the occasion as a "huge launch" that would be "phenomenal," and his first memo to staff as chief executive spotlighted the upcoming hardware releases.

Why it matters

This event sits at the intersection of two significant moments for Apple. It is the first real test of how Ternus presents himself in a role defined for 14 years by Tim Cook, and it is expected to introduce the first genuinely new iPhone form factor in a category rivals have occupied since 2019. A staggered rollout that pushes the standard iPhone 18 into next year, combined with the possibility of price increases driven by memory shortages, would also mark a departure from Apple's usual annual rhythm — a signal that supply-chain pressures are reshaping product plans across the industry, not just Apple's. How the foldable is received, and how Ternus frames it, will set the tone for the next chapter of the company.