Apple sets September 9 event, foldable iPhone expected to headline

Apple has officially set the date for its next launch event. According to TechCrunch, the company announced on Wednesday that the show will take place on September 9, with invitations carrying the tagline "Surprise and shine." The Verge reports the event will be held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park in Cupertino, California, and will also be livestreamed on Apple's website. It starts at 10 a.m. PT, which is 1 p.m. Eastern.

The foldable iPhone may finally arrive

The event is attracting more attention than a typical iPhone refresh because Apple is expected to use it to unveil its first foldable iPhone. TechCrunch describes it as the long-awaited foldable, while The Verge calls it long-rumored and reports that a photo of an apparent dummy unit points to a wide form factor similar to the one Samsung uses on the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

If the device does appear on stage, it would mark Apple's entry into a category that Samsung and other Android vendors have been shipping for years.

Iterative Pro models and a staggered iPhone lineup

Alongside any foldable, Apple is expected to refresh its premium phones. Both TechCrunch and The Verge anticipate an iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but the two outlets agree the updates are rumored to be relatively iterative rather than a major redesign. The Verge notes this stands in contrast to the redesign Apple announced last year.

The rollout also looks staggered. Both outlets report that the base-model iPhone 18 will not appear at the event and is instead expected next year. The Verge adds that Apple is rumored to launch an iPhone 18e and a second-generation iPhone Air in 2027.

Watches, smart home devices and software dates

Beyond phones, TechCrunch expects Apple to introduce the Apple Watch Series 12 and a new Apple Watch Ultra at the event, alongside new smart home hardware. The company may also use the occasion to announce release dates for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate and its other upcoming software updates.

A first event under a new CEO

The September 9 event will also be a milestone in Apple's leadership transition. John Ternus, the company's hardware chief, is set to take over as CEO from Tim Cook on September 1, according to both TechCrunch and The Verge. That timing would make this the first Apple launch event of his tenure, arriving barely a week into the job.

Why it matters

A foldable iPhone would be Apple's most significant new hardware category in years and its answer to a form factor rivals have already iterated on across many generations. The event also doubles as the public debut of a post-Cook Apple, with Ternus fronting the company's biggest product moment of the year days after taking charge. Meanwhile, the staggered iPhone 18 rollout — premium models first, the base model later — signals a change in how Apple sequences its flagship product line, and the expected software release dates will set the fall upgrade timeline for iPhone, iPad and Mac users alike.