What to expect at Apple’s iPhone 18 launch event on Wednesday

Apple’s annual iPhone launch event will take place on Wednesday, September 9. It is a staple of the tech scene every year, but this year’s iPhone event is arguably one of the most consequential for Apple in well over a decade.

Not only is the company expected to unveil its first-ever foldable iPhone, but this year’s showcase will also be the first under Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus. Here’s what to expect—and what to watch out for.

The world’s first foldable iPhone

Despite being nearly 20 years old, the iPhone has had only two major designs throughout its history. The first was the iPhone with the physical home button (on the wide bottom bezel “chin” of every iPhone from the original in 2007 to the iPhone 8 in 2017).

In 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X, which eliminated the physical home button in favor of an all-screen design and Face ID.

Next week, the iPhone is expected to get its third and most radical redesign yet with the introduction of the so-called iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold.

As the latter name suggests, the new device will turn the iPhone from a slab-only form factor into a foldable one, and comes at a time when foldables are more popular than ever. But unlike common compact-style flip and book-style fold Android phones, the first foldable iPhone is expected to adopt a passport-style design that will give it roughly a 4:3 aspect ratio when closed.

Given that Apple hasn’t had a hit new product in years (hello Vision Pro), a lot will be riding on how consumers react to the company’s first foldable. If things go well, it could make the iPhone lineup feel innovative again.

Some new iPhone 18s (but not others)

While the iPhone Ultra/Fold will likely generate the most hype, Apple is also expected to release new Pro versions of the iPhone, including the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max. However, these phones are likely to be mainly iterative updates over the current iPhone 17 Pro series, not revolutionary new products. Expect a faster A20 chipset, improved cameras, a smaller Dynamic Island, and some new colors (bye-bye Cosmic Orange).

But in a first for Apple, it will reportedly not release a base iPhone 18 model, or an updated iPhone Air, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series. Instead, Apple is said to be using the 2026 launch to kick off a staggered release schedule for its iPhone lineup: Pro models in the fall, and base models in the spring. That means if you were wanting to buy an iPhone 18 or iPhone Air 2, you’ll likely need to wait until March.

New home products

The foldable iPhone might not be the only entirely new product Apple introduces this week. The event is also rumored to focus on the company’s home products, which have not seen substantial updates in years.

Reporting, mainly from Bloomberg, suggests that Apple has a long-expected update to its Apple TV set-top box waiting in the wings, with a faster chipset capable of supporting the new Siri AI and possibly more advanced games. The company’s excellent HomePod mini smart speaker is expected to include internal chip upgrades that allow it to support the new Siri AI.

But Bloomberg also says that Apple may introduce a new “home hub” product. This is most often described as essentially a HomePod with an iPad stuck to it—in other words, a smart speaker with a multitouch display that gives quick access to widgets that let you control all the smart home accessories and entertainment in your house.

The so-called HomePad has been rumored for years, but with Apple’s new AI focus, it makes a lot of sense to introduce the countertop computer now.

New wearables and operating systems

Apple is expected to round out the event by introducing some relatively iterative updates to the AirPods lineup and introducing the next models of the Apple Watch (Series 12 and Ultra 4). The Apple Watch models are expected to retain the same design but feature faster chips that enable enhanced fitness tracking.

Alongside these hardware announcements, Apple is expected to show off the final version of its iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 operating systems, which it previewed earlier this summer. While major new feature reveals aren’t likely on the software side, it will be interesting to finally see the dual screen version of iOS 27 that runs on the foldable iPhone, which the company has not yet shown off.

John Ternus and higher prices

Of course, it’s not just new products that Apple will unveil. This event marks the first under the leadership of Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus, who took the helm on September 1, ending 15 years of Tim Cook’s leadership.

While the average consumer might not care much about the new guy giving the opening keynote at the iPhone event, industry watchers and the media will likely scrutinize how Ternus presents himself and how well he comes across as Apple’s new figurehead. Still, I wouldn’t expect Ternus to mention any radical changes to Apple’s ethos. This event, as always, will mainly be about Apple pitching its new products to consumers for the first time.

And consumers will likely be paying close attention to how much the new iPhones will cost them. Thanks to the AI-fueled memory shortage, Apple—like nearly every other consumer hardware maker in the world—has had to hike prices this year. Over the summer, Apple raised prices on its iPads, Macs, and Home products, but left the price of iPhones unchanged.

Expect that to change on Wednesday. It is a near certainty that the iPhone 18 Pro series will cost significantly more than the iPhone 17 Pro series. The question we’re all waiting to have answered is, “By how much?”

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