Apple’s fall event “Surprise and Shine” will take place at 1 a.m. Taiwan time on September 10 at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park. This is the first major product launch hosted by Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus, since he took over. The market expects Apple to unveil its long-rumored first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro series, Apple Watch Series 12, and AirPods 5, along with price adjustments on some products. In a report published before the event, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman listed these as the top five things to watch tonight, including Ternus’s debut on stage, the foldable priced above $2,000, camera upgrades for the Pro series, wearable updates, and iPhone price increases. As usual, Apple’s online store entered maintenance mode ahead of the event, signaling that new products are about to go on sale.
NEW: The Five Biggest Things to Watch Out for at Apple’s Big Event — The debut of Ternus; a $2,000-and-up foldable iPhone Duo; an iPhone 18 Pro line with big camera upgrades; Apple Watch updates and AirPods 5; and iPhone price increases. https://t.co/x9wQ6z30hA
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 9, 2026
The first show of the Ternus era
John Ternus officially assumed the role of Apple CEO on September 1, with former CEO Tim Cook transitioning to Executive Chairman and attending the launch event in that capacity. Ternus previously served as Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, where he led the development of multiple products, including the design and mass production of several flagship devices in recent years—but this marks his first time taking the stage as CEO. Investors and consumers alike are focused on how Ternus will articulate Apple’s product strategy going forward. Under Cook’s tenure, Apple’s revenue and market value grew substantially, and product lines such as Apple Watch and AirPods were introduced. Ternus needs to sustain that momentum while identifying new avenues for growth. Observers also view this launch event as the starting point for tracking a shift in Apple’s leadership style—where a CEO with a hardware engineering background will direct resources can be glimpsed from tonight’s product lineup.
iPhone Duo foldable phone
Apple’s first foldable phone has the internal codename V68 and has been in development for over a decade. According to Gurman’s report, the device’s official name is the iPhone Duo, featuring a book-style foldable design with a 5.5-inch outer display that opens up to a 7.8-inch inner screen, with dimensions close to an iPad mini. Apple is highlighting its proprietary hinge and screen crease control, and when unfolded, the device supports split-screen multitasking with two apps running side by side. It also supports Apple Pencil, dual 48MP main cameras, the A20 Pro chip, and Apple’s self-developed C2 5G modem. Apple delayed its entry into the foldable market for years, which observers interpret as a deliberate effort to spend time solving the common issues found in Android foldables, such as screen creases, durability, and hinge reliability. Apple had long taken a wait-and-see approach to foldable phones, only accelerating its efforts as screen and hinge technology gradually matured. This product is also seen as Apple’s response to the Android foldable camp. Which specific Apple Pencil model will be supported, and whether a smaller version will be released, has yet to be determined.
The price is the most attention-grabbing aspect of this product. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 (approximately NT$65,000) for the 256GB version, while the high-end 2TB model approaches $3,000 (about NT$97,500). Gurman noted that Apple absorbed some of the memory price increases, keeping pricing below market expectations; earlier analyst estimates ranged between $2,099 and $2,299. The iPhone Duo is expected to go on sale in October, available in white and dark blue. Early leaks also mentioned that this foldable phone might drop Face ID in favor of Touch ID on the power button, because the front bezel is too thin to accommodate the full sensor array. Whether this design will come to fruition will be revealed at the launch event.
BTW, I already dreamed of this name last month.
iPhone 18 Pro series
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max maintain the upright design, powered by the 2nm-process A20 Pro chip and Apple’s self-developed C2 5G modem. The Pro Max is reported to feature the first mechanical variable aperture main camera, allowing users to control depth of field and improve low-light shooting performance—a first for the iPhone lineup. The Dynamic Island on both models will be smaller, capable of displaying three Live Activities simultaneously, and they will include a redesigned vapor chamber for enhanced heat dissipation, along with improved battery life. Beyond the variable aperture, the Pro series’ overall camera system is also expected to see upgrades, with low-light and dynamic range performance improving over the previous generation. New colors include deep cherry red and sky blue, with further reduced bezel thickness. Reports indicate that the Pro series starting price may rise by about $100 USD (approximately NT$3,250). Both Pro models are expected to go on sale within this month, earlier than the foldable devices.
Apple Watch and AirPods
Apple Watch Series 12 is rumored to be returning to a ceramic chassis, available in white and dark gray, featuring the next-generation S12 processor—reportedly the biggest performance leap in years—along with continuous heart rate monitoring and hypertension risk screening. A new Readiness App will aggregate heart rate and blood oxygen data to provide daily body status recommendations, similar in function to fitness bands from Whoop and Oura. Gurman also mentioned an all-day voice recording and ambient audio capture feature that can assist with meeting transcription and quick voice memos. The system will analyze the user’s day and generate summaries, but will not store audio or produce verbatim transcripts. The Apple Watch Ultra 4, meanwhile, is focused primarily on battery life improvements and new color options.
AirPods 5 comes in two models: a standard version and an advanced version with active noise cancellation, replacing the current AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 and unifying the product design. Earlier reports suggested Apple was considering adding a camera lens to the earbuds, but that feature has reportedly been delayed to next year and will not debut tonight.
Schedule and Pricing
This launch event won’t include a standard iPhone 18. Apple has adjusted its product cadence, postponing the entry-level iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and the second-generation iPhone Air to spring 2027, and will continue selling the iPhone 17 during this period. Compared to previous years’ fall events that unveiled the entire lineup at once, Apple is clearly concentrating its resources on premium products this year. The fifth key point Gurman highlighted is iPhone price increases — beyond the Pro series starting price going up, other models may follow suit as well. Apple’s fall hardware lineup also includes a smart home display, Apple TV and HomePod mini updates, and a MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, and these products may be saved for another event in October.
Conclusion
For Apple, tonight marks a night of simultaneous reinvention across both its product lineup and leadership team. Whether foldable phones can carve out a foothold in a market Android has cultivated for years, whether the price hikes on the Pro series will dampen upgrade appetite, and what kind of roadmap Ternus will lay out in his first keynote are all key points to watch tonight. We’ll also be putting together full coverage for you a bit later—if you can’t be bothered to follow the live updates, catching up tomorrow morning works just fine.
Source: KOCPC Chinese