Apple is preparing for one of its most closely watched iPhone events in years, with the company scheduled to begin its “Surprise and shine” presentation on September 9 at 10 a.m. PT. The event is

confirmed. The device drawing the most attention is not. Multiple reports say Apple is expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone, a launch that would also give new CEO John Ternus his first major hardware showcase since taking over from Tim Cook on September 1.

Apple’s own event page confirms the date and time but does not list the products that will appear. That distinction matters because many of the most detailed claims about the foldable, including its name, shape, price and release schedule, remain based on reporting and supply-chain expectations rather than an Apple announcement.

Key points

• Apple has officially scheduled a September 9 event at 10 a.m. PT under the “Surprise and shine” theme.
• John Ternus became Apple CEO on September 1, 2026, succeeding Tim Cook, who moved to executive chairman.
• Apple has not officially announced a foldable iPhone, but several major outlets and market researchers expect one at the event.
• Reports describe a wide, book-style device, sometimes referred to as “iPhone Ultra,” but the name and specifications remain unconfirmed.
• Counterpoint Research expects Apple’s entry to accelerate the foldable market, which accounted for only 1.6% of global smartphone shipments in 2025.

What Apple has actually confirmed

The strongest confirmed facts are straightforward. Apple will hold its September hardware event on Wednesday, September 9, and John Ternus is now chief executive. Apple announced in April that Ternus would take over on September 1 after serving as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. Cook became executive chairman and remains involved in selected company matters.

That makes the event unusually important for Apple leadership as well as for the iPhone lineup. Ternus has spent much of his Apple career on hardware, so a major form-factor change would place his technical background at the center of the company’s most commercially important product family.

Foldable iPhone: confirmed facts vs. expectations

Topic	Status	What is known now
September 9 Apple event	Confirmed	Apple says the event begins at 10 a.m. PT and will stream online.
John Ternus as CEO	Confirmed	Ternus became CEO on September 1, with Tim Cook moving to executive chairman.
First foldable iPhone	Expected	Major technology and business outlets report that Apple is likely to unveil one, but Apple has not announced it.
“iPhone Ultra” name	Rumored	The name appears in reporting and speculation. Apple has not confirmed it.
Passport-style wide design	Reported	The Verge and other reports describe a shorter, wider book-style foldable.
Around $2,000 pricing	Reported	Some reports expect a price near $2,000, but official pricing is not available before launch.

Why Apple entering foldables matters

Apple would be entering a category that Android manufacturers have spent years developing. Samsung began selling its Galaxy Fold in 2019, while Google, Motorola, Huawei and others have since expanded the market. Yet foldables remain a small slice of total smartphone demand.

According to Counterpoint Research, foldables represented 1.6% of global smartphone shipments in 2025. The research firm forecasts 20% year-over-year growth in foldable shipments in 2026 and projects that Apple could capture 28% of foldable shipments in its first year in the category. Those figures are forecasts, not sales results, but they show how much the industry expects Apple’s arrival to affect a still-niche segment.

The form factor is also changing. The Verge reports that Apple’s expected device is shorter and wider than many earlier foldables, closer to the shape of a passport. Rival manufacturers have recently moved toward similarly wide book-style designs, although it is not possible to establish from public information whether those changes were directly influenced by Apple.

A first big test for John Ternus

For Ternus, the timing gives the event significance beyond a normal annual refresh. Apple’s leadership announcement highlighted his hardware background, including work on durability, materials and product engineering. If Apple does launch a foldable iPhone, the product will immediately become one of the clearest early signals of how his leadership may differ from Cook’s.

That does not mean Ternus designed the device after becoming CEO. Foldable hardware takes years to develop, and The Verge says Apple has been working on folding-phone concepts since at least 2017. The launch would therefore be better viewed as a product inherited from a long development cycle, but one that Ternus will now be responsible for positioning, shipping and turning into a sustainable business.

What else could appear at the event

The foldable is expected to share the stage with more conventional iPhone updates. Reports from Yahoo Finance and other outlets point to new iPhone 18 Pro models, while some reporting suggests the standard iPhone 18 may arrive later. Updated Apple Watch and AirPods hardware are also widely expected. Apple has not confirmed that product list, so the event itself remains the point at which those details become official.

The real questions begin after the reveal

If Apple unveils its first foldable iPhone, the headline will be the form factor. The more important questions for buyers will come afterward: how visible the display crease is, how durable the hinge feels, how the software uses the larger screen, how heavy the device is, what battery life looks like and how much Apple charges.

Those details will determine whether Apple has simply entered the foldable market or found a way to broaden it. For now, the company has confirmed the stage, the date and the new CEO. The foldable iPhone remains expected rather than official until Ternus or another Apple executive presents it.