Here we go again…
Apple's September event is happening on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific / 1 p.m. Eastern, and this year's could be a big one.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are almost certainly going to be the main event. But there's also the small matter of Apple's first folding iPhone, which has been rumoured for what feels like forever and may finally make an appearance.
Then we've got new Apple Watches, possibly AirPods 5, some very interesting camera rumours and a slightly strange question hanging over the whole thing:
Where's the regular iPhone 18?
Apple hasn't actually confirmed any of these products yet. All we officially have is the event itself. So until Tim Cook starts talking, we're still firmly in rumour territory.
That's what this page is for.
I'm going to keep this updated between now and the event as more information comes out. Then on Wednesday, we'll be updating it as Apple makes the announcements so we can see which rumours were right, which were wildly wrong and whether Apple has managed to keep anything genuinely surprising under wraps.
After the event, we'll have proper coverage of everything Apple announces too, including the new iPhones, Apple Watches and (if it actually exists) that folding iPhone.
So, here's what we know so far.
When Is the Apple September 2026 Event?
Apple's September event takes place on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 10 a.m. Pacific / 1 p.m. Eastern. You can watch it through Apple's event page or the Apple TV app.
We'll be following it here as well, with this article switching from a pre-event rumour guide into our live event page on Wednesday.
Once Apple starts announcing products, we'll add the confirmed details alongside the rumours rather than simply replacing everything that came before.
Part of the fun of these events is seeing how much of the increasingly specific reporting from the previous twelve months survives contact with Tim Cook…
Latest update: September 7
With two days to go, the most credible version of Apple's lineup is starting to take shape.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max remain the obvious candidates, while Bloomberg has reported that Apple's first foldable iPhone is also on track for a September introduction.
Perhaps more surprisingly, Nikkei Asia has reported that Apple is prioritising three premium iPhones for its 2026 launch, with the standard iPhone 18 pushed into 2027. A later Nikkei report put both the regular iPhone 18 and a new iPhone Air in the first half of next year.
If that reporting is right, this could be a very different September launch from the one we're used to. Instead of unveiling a complete iPhone family at once, Apple may focus this event almost entirely on the expensive end of the range.
What Is Apple Expected to Announce on September 9?
The safest predictions are the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
There is plenty of reporting around both phones now, and while the overall design isn't expected to change dramatically, the internal upgrades could be more substantial.
The foldable iPhone is the wildcard, although even that is starting to feel less wild than it did a year ago. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in April that Apple's first foldable remained on track for a September 2026 introduction alongside the Pro iPhones, potentially with limited initial availability.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are also expected, while AirPods 5 remain possible. Beyond those products, Apple has a fairly busy pipeline for the rest of the year, but that doesn't necessarily mean everything is going to be squeezed into Wednesday's event.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: What Are We Expecting?
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max aren't expected to look radically different from the current models. Reports point towards the familiar 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch size split, so anyone waiting for Apple to completely reinvent the slab of glass in your pocket may have to wait a little longer.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, because most of the interesting rumours this year concern the parts of the phone that actually affect how it performs. We're hearing about a move to 2nm silicon, Apple's own second-generation modem, changes to the Dynamic Island, larger batteries and, most interestingly for me, a variable-aperture main camera.
A 2nm Processor Could Make the iPhone 18 Pro More Efficient
Ming-Chi Kuo predicted back in 2024 that Apple's 2026 iPhone processor would move to TSMC's 2nm manufacturing process. At the time, he also warned that the cost of producing those chips could mean they wouldn't appear in every iPhone 18 model.
More recently, TrendForce's September 2026 forecast has pointed towards 2nm A20 Pro chips in Apple's premium phones, alongside larger batteries.
Obviously Apple will tell us how much faster its new chip is, and we'll get the usual collection of graphs comparing it with previous generations. I'm more interested in the efficiency gains. The current iPhones are already absurdly powerful for most of the things people actually do with them, so if 2nm can help Apple improve battery life while maintaining that performance, that's much more useful than another impressive benchmark score.
This becomes particularly relevant when you look at what's being reported for the Pro Max battery, which we'll come to shortly.
The Dynamic Island Could Shrink
The fully under-display Face ID system that has been rumoured at various points now looks less likely for this generation. Instead, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may simply get a smaller Dynamic Island.
Leaker Ice Universe claimed in January that its width would shrink from roughly 20.76mm to 13.49mm, which would be a reduction of around 35%.
That's an incredibly precise measurement for an unreleased phone, so I wouldn't get the ruler out just yet. The broader idea of a smaller Dynamic Island is perfectly believable, though, and I'd be quite happy with it. Apple has found some genuinely useful things to do with the Dynamic Island over the last few years; I'd just prefer it to occupy slightly less of the display while doing them.
Variable Aperture Is the Camera Rumour to Watch
The camera is where the iPhone 18 Pro rumours get much more interesting.
Ming-Chi Kuo reported in November 2024 that a high-end 2026 iPhone would gain a variable-aperture wide camera. He followed that up the following month, this time referring specifically to the iPhone 18 Pro series and identifying equipment associated with the aperture-blade assembly.
If Apple does add variable aperture, the important difference is that the camera would be able to physically change the opening through which light reaches the sensor. Current iPhones use a fixed aperture and rely heavily on computational photography to produce the final result. A physical aperture gives the camera another way to control exposure and depth of field before the software gets involved.
In practical terms, that could give you better control in very bright conditions, allow more light into the camera when required and potentially create more natural background separation without leaning quite so heavily on computational blur.
There are conflicting reports about whether both Pro models will receive it or whether Apple might reserve it for the Pro Max. The public original sourcing is stronger for variable aperture across the Pro series than it is for a Pro Max-only configuration, so for now I'd assume the feature itself is plausible and leave the exact model split open.
Camera Control May Get Simpler
Camera Control is another area where rumours have been circulating, although I'd put these in the less certain pile.
There have been claims that Apple could simplify the current control, including removing some of its capacitive functionality. The problem is that the original public sourcing for those reports is much harder to verify than it is for something like variable aperture.
Apple's current Camera Control documentation shows just how much functionality is packed into it already. You can use different presses and sliding gestures to control exposure, depth, zoom, camera selection, photographic styles and tone, as well as simply opening the camera and taking a photo.
I can understand why Apple might want to simplify that experience. Camera Control is useful, but I don't think I'm alone in occasionally forgetting which combination of presses and swipes does what. Whether Apple actually changes the hardware this year is something we'll have to wait until Wednesday to find out.
Apple's Second-Generation Modem Could Replace Qualcomm
The iPhone 18 Pro could also mark another step in Apple's move away from Qualcomm.
Mark Gurman said in August 2025 that the iPhone 18 Pro would receive Apple's second-generation modem, after the 2025 Pro phones continued using Qualcomm hardware.
There are other reports linking future iPhones with expanded satellite capabilities, but some of the very specific claims around C2, automatic satellite switching and model-specific satellite hardware aren't publicly traceable enough for me to treat them as likely iPhone 18 Pro specifications yet.
Apple moving another flagship component in-house is interesting enough on its own. If it can improve efficiency at the same time, that feeds back into what could become one of the bigger stories around this generation: battery life.
Could the iPhone 18 Pro Max Have Apple's Best Battery Life Yet?
Of all the specifications floating around before this event, 5,567mAh is probably the number that's going to get the most attention.
Digital Chat Station published provisional battery figures in July, including 5,391mAh for one version of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 5,567mAh for the US model. The post itself treated those numbers as provisional, and that's exactly how I'd treat them too.
The wider battery story is more convincing. TrendForce has also forecast larger batteries for Apple's premium 2026 iPhones, while the move to 2nm silicon could bring additional efficiency gains.
There's a display angle here as well. Korean industry publication The Elec reported in May that Samsung Display and LG Display were expected to supply most of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max OLED panels, with LTPO+ discussed as a premium display technology.
Put those pieces together and the Pro Max could have a fairly compelling pitch this year. Rather than simply being the bigger version of the Pro, it may become the obvious choice for people who care most about endurance.
The obvious downside is size and weight. A Pro Max is already a substantial phone, and squeezing a larger battery inside isn't likely to make it any daintier. I'd personally take the extra battery life if the improvement is significant enough, but it could make the distinction between the two Pro models more meaningful than usual.
How Much Will the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Cost?
This is one area where I wouldn't put too much faith in any single number yet, although several reports are pointing in the same, rather unfortunate, direction.
Jeff Pu said in July that higher costs associated with 2nm silicon and DRAM/NAND could create a $250-$300 increase for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. That's analyst modelling rather than Apple's leaked price list, so it shouldn't be read as confirmation that Tim Cook has casually added $300 to the price.
Bloomberg has separately been associated with a smaller estimated increase of around $100-$200, although the relevant detail in that report isn't fully visible outside its paywalled newsletter.
Either way, a price increase is plausible, and it becomes particularly interesting if Apple really does delay the regular iPhone 18. Buyers who normally start with the standard model could be looking at a September range where the cheapest new iPhone is already a Pro.
We'll know the real numbers soon enough.
Is Apple's Foldable iPhone Finally Coming?
This is easily the announcement that could turn an otherwise fairly conventional iPhone year into something completely different.
We've been hearing about Apple testing foldable devices for years, but the reporting has become much more specific as 2026 has approached. We're no longer dealing with a vague suggestion that Apple has a prototype somewhere. Analysts and supply-chain reporters are discussing screen dimensions, thickness, hinge materials, production volumes and pricing, while Bloomberg reported in April that the device remained on track for a September introduction.
That still doesn't mean Apple is definitely announcing it on Wednesday, but there is enough evidence now that I'd be more surprised if we heard nothing about it than I would have been a year ago.
We've collected all of the reporting in [INTERNAL LINK: Apple Foldable iPhone: Everything We Know Before September 9], but these are the main things to know before the event.
We Still Don't Know What Apple Will Call It
“IPhone Ultra” sounds suitably expensive, and “iPhone Fold” is the obvious name, so both have been used extensively in coverage. Neither is confirmed.
Until Apple gives the thing a name, “foldable iPhone” is the safest description. It's not particularly glamorous, but I'd rather be boring for two more days than confidently announce Apple's branding department's decision on its behalf.
The Foldable Could Open Into a 7.8-Inch Display
The most detailed public hardware prediction comes from Ming-Chi Kuo, who outlined his expectations in March 2025.
Kuo described a book-style, inward-folding phone with an approximately 5.5-inch outer display and 7.8-inch inner display. He also predicted a thickness of roughly 4.5-4.8mm when open and 9-9.5mm when folded.
Those dimensions tell us much more about the idea than the word “foldable” does. This isn't expected to be a little clamshell phone that becomes half its size when you put it in your pocket. The concept is closer to having a conventional-ish phone screen on the outside, then opening it to reveal a display approaching small-tablet territory.
The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that Apple was developing a smaller foldable device intended to become an iPhone, with an internal display larger than the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
If the final hardware looks anything like those reports, the question isn't really whether Apple can make an iPhone fold. Samsung, Google and others have already answered that one. The interesting question is what Apple thinks people should do with the extra space.
Apple Appears to Be Taking the Crease Seriously
The crease remains one of the unavoidable conversations around folding phones, and Apple appears to have spent a lot of time working on it.
Kuo reported in March 2025 that liquid metal was expected to be used in the hinge, with improved durability, screen flatness and reduced crease marks among the goals.
There has also been discussion around optically clear adhesive. TrendForce has explained how OCA can help manage stress and reduce the visibility of a crease in folding displays, although its report doesn't conclusively establish that Apple has selected that particular solution for the iPhone.
That's an important distinction. There's enough evidence to say Apple is reportedly working hard on the hinge and crease problem; there isn't enough to promise that Apple has magically invented a screen that never shows a crease.
I'd want to see the finished phone under normal lighting before making that call.
The Foldable May Bring Touch ID Back
One of the compromises in Kuo's hardware prediction is surprisingly old-school: Touch ID.
Rather than squeezing Face ID hardware into an extremely thin folding chassis, Kuo expects Apple to put Touch ID into the side button. It's an interesting reversal after Apple spent years making Face ID part of the identity of its premium iPhones, but it also makes practical sense if thinness is one of the priorities.
I don't think this would bother me much. A good side-mounted fingerprint reader can be incredibly convenient, and if losing Face ID helps Apple make the rest of the device work properly, it's hardly a disaster.
The cameras might be a more difficult compromise.
Apple's Most Expensive iPhone May Not Have Its Best Cameras
Kuo's report points towards a dual-lens rear camera system on the foldable, rather than the three-camera setup we're used to seeing on Apple's Pro phones.
The publicly traceable sources don't give us enough confidence to start assigning exact megapixel counts to those cameras, but the dual-camera configuration itself is notable. It raises the possibility that someone could spend more than $2,000 on Apple's most advanced iPhone and still get a less versatile camera system than the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
I can already see the YouTube comments.
There is a reasonable engineering explanation. Folding hardware takes up space, the chassis is incredibly thin and Apple has to fit batteries, displays, cameras and a hinge into two halves of a phone. Something has to give.
Whether buyers will accept that compromise depends heavily on how useful the folding display turns out to be.
The Foldable's Software Could Matter More Than the Hinge
This is the part I'm most curious about.
Bloomberg has reported that the foldable will use more iPad-like layouts when it's open, including side-by-side apps. Fixed Focus Digital has also discussed a “Parallel View”-style capability for horizontal and larger-screen layouts.
We need to be slightly careful with the latter. The original post doesn't explicitly promise that you'll be able to throw any two arbitrary iPhone apps next to each other, and it certainly doesn't confirm that ordinary iPhones are suddenly becoming mini multitasking machines.
What makes the software story particularly interesting is what Apple itself has been telling developers.
At WWDC26, Apple explained that iPhone apps are fully resizable in its new adaptivity model and should be able to respond properly to changing dimensions and aspect ratios. Another developer session discusses testing iPhone apps at different sizes, while Apple's iOS 27 technical guidance requires apps to handle dynamic scene-size changes.
Apple doesn't mention a foldable iPhone in those materials, so we shouldn't pretend this is some secret product announcement hidden in a developer video. It does, however, mean the software foundations for an iPhone that changes shape are increasingly there.
That's what could separate Apple's approach from simply making another folding phone. If I can use it like a normal iPhone when it's closed, then open it and genuinely make use of that 7.8-inch display for two apps, larger interfaces and iPad-style layouts, I can see the appeal.
If I'm basically running a stretched iPhone app on a bendy screen, considerably less so.
How Much Could the Foldable iPhone Cost?
Unfortunately, nobody seems to think it'll be cheap.
Ming-Chi Kuo estimated in July that the device could cost somewhere around $2,300-$2,500. TrendForce's September forecast is slightly less frightening, putting the starting price at around $2,099-$2,299.
Those are forecasts rather than Apple prices, but they give us a pretty good idea of where expectations currently sit. This is likely to be a very premium first-generation product, and Apple may have another problem even if people are willing to pay for it: making enough of them.
Nikkei Asia reported on September 4 that initial production had been limited to a few hundred units per day as suppliers worked through Apple's quality-control requirements. Kuo has also predicted limited early supply and the possibility of Apple announcing the device alongside the Pro models before opening wider preorders or sales later.
So an announcement on September 9 doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to buy one immediately. If the reports are right, this could end up looking more like the original iPhone X launch, where Apple unveiled the device alongside the rest of the range but availability followed later.
Why Might There Be No Regular iPhone 18?
This might end up being the biggest strategic change Apple announces without actually announcing it.
Nikkei Asia reported that Apple was prioritising three premium models for 2026 and moving the standard iPhone's shipment into 2027. Its July follow-up said Apple planned at least five new iPhones across the second half of 2026 and first half of 2027, with the regular iPhone 18 and a new iPhone Air among the devices planned for the latter period.
TrendForce has since forecast broadly the same split, with the premium phones launching in autumn 2026 and standard variants following in the first quarter of 2027.
If all of that proves accurate, the September iPhone lineup could consist of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone, with no standard iPhone 18 sitting underneath them.
That would make sense of quite a few other rumours. Apple would have much more room to focus on its first foldable, the Pro phones would get a launch window largely to themselves, and then the company could create another iPhone sales moment when the cheaper models arrive next year.
It's less convenient if you're a buyer who has spent the last twelve months waiting for the regular iPhone 18. Your options may be to spend more on a Pro or wait a little longer.
The Next iPhone Air May Be Waiting Until 2027 Too
The iPhone Air story is slightly different, but it appears to be heading towards the same release window.
The Information reported in November 2025 that Apple had delayed the next version of the iPhone Air following weaker sales of the first model. Nikkei's later reporting includes a new iPhone Air among Apple's plans for the first half of 2027.
You'll see “iPhone Air 2” used as shorthand for that device, but that's not a name Apple has announced, and the original reports refer to the next or new iPhone Air rather than specifically calling it Air 2.
What About the iPhone 18 Pro Colours?
There are quite a few colour rumours doing the rounds, including dark cherry or burgundy, light blue, silver and conflicting reports around black.
This is one area where I'd rather wait.
The source trail for the final colours isn't as strong as it is for the main hardware rumours, and colour leaks have a habit of looking very convincing right up until Apple shows something completely different under stage lighting.
We'll add the actual finishes here as soon as Apple announces them.
What Are We Expecting From Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4?
Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are both expected this autumn, although anyone hoping for a dramatic redesign may be disappointed.
Mark Gurman's recent reporting points towards a more evolutionary hardware year, with the interesting changes happening around the processor and Apple's approach to health and fitness.
In a public Threads post, Gurman discussed all-day continuous heart-rate tracking, ceramic Series 12 options and a stronger approach to wellness data, with the more substantial Apple Watch redesign deferred to a later generation.
That wellness angle could be much more useful than it sounds. Apple Watch already collects an enormous amount of information, but rivals such as Whoop and Oura have done a very good job of taking complex health and activity data and turning it into simple guidance around recovery, sleep and readiness.
Apple doesn't necessarily need another sensor to make the Watch more useful. Making better sense of the sensors it already has could be just as valuable.
Gurman has also said that a new Apple Watch SE isn't planned for 2026 and that the larger rethink of the Watch remains a year or two away.
There is one more unusual rumour worth mentioning. Leaker Kosutami posted an image in July claiming that a Series 12 sensor had been injection-moulded into a silicone watch band.
The post doesn't say what that sensor does, which is where some of the coverage has got ahead of itself. There's no solid basis there for declaring that Apple has put glucose, blood-pressure or temperature sensing into the strap. For now, it's an interesting prototype or leak rather than a feature I'd expect Apple to announce.
Are AirPods 5 Coming?
AirPods 5 are expected sometime in 2026, although I'm less confident about putting them specifically on the September 9 stage than I am with the iPhones and Apple Watches.
Mark Gurman said in August that Apple was preparing AirPods 5 in two versions: a regular model and another with noise cancellation.
There has also been reporting around Apple developing a new H3 chip and exploring more health features for future AirPods. Those stories often get bundled together into “AirPods 5 will have H3 and health sensors”, but the original sourcing doesn't actually establish that combination. We know Apple has been developing those technologies; we don't yet know exactly which generation gets what.
The much stranger camera-equipped AirPods are a separate product and appear to be further away. Bloomberg reported in June that they're planned for late 2027, and followed up in August to say the project remained on track despite an internal video leak.
The idea isn't necessarily to turn your AirPods into tiny ear-mounted GoPros. Ming-Chi Kuo has previously linked IR-camera AirPods with spatial computing and better interaction between Apple devices.
Whatever they eventually become, they're not something I'd expect from this event.
What Probably Won't Apple Announce at the September Event?
Apple has plenty of other hardware reportedly approaching launch, which inevitably means all of it gets thrown into September prediction articles.
Some of these products could be only weeks away, but the stronger reporting separates them from the September iPhone event.
An OLED iPad Mini Looks More Like an October Product
The OLED iPad mini is a good example.
Bloomberg reported in July that Apple was preparing an OLED overhaul for the iPad mini separately from the September iPhone event. Gurman then pointed more specifically towards October.
There's plenty of supply-chain evidence behind the OLED part too. ETNews reported in 2025 that Samsung Display was preparing production of an 8.4-inch OLED iPad mini panel and reported again this June that OLED iPad mini panels had entered mass production.
I'd therefore be quite comfortable saying an OLED iPad mini looks close. I'd be much less comfortable putting it on Wednesday's running order.
New M6 Macs Are Coming, But Probably Separately
The Mac pipeline is busy as well.
Bloomberg reported in July that Apple was preparing updates across the Mac range through the autumn and into the following year. Gurman has also said publicly that M6 MacBook Pro models and new iMacs were planned for 2026.
There's an even bigger MacBook Pro redesign reportedly coming, involving OLED and potentially touch, but Bloomberg's reporting has placed that across late 2026 or early 2027.
Apple often gives the Mac its own moment rather than burying a major Mac update inside an iPhone launch, so I wouldn't go into Wednesday expecting an enormous M6 section.
Apple's New Home Products May Be Saved for Later
Apple's smart-home plans are another rabbit hole entirely.
Bloomberg has been reporting on Apple's renewed smart-home ambitions for some time, including a display-based hub, new cameras and other home hardware. A March report said the company's J490 smart-home display had been delayed until later in 2026 while Apple waited for its new Siri assistant.
More recently, Bloomberg reported in July that Apple was preparing a Siri-based home hub, a new TV set-top box and a refreshed HomePod mini, but outside the framing of the September iPhone launch.
You'll often see the display referred to as HomePad and the speaker as HomePod mini 2. Those are useful shorthand names, but they're not product names Apple has confirmed.
My guess is that Apple will want to give its new home strategy more space than it would get squeezed between an iPhone Pro and a $2,000 foldable. We'll see, but I'm putting these firmly in the “possible later this year” column rather than the “expect it Wednesday” column.
The Three Things I'll Be Watching on Wednesday
There are dozens of smaller rumours we could pick apart, but three stories will probably decide whether this event ends up being memorable.
The first is obviously the foldable. Apple has watched Samsung and the rest of the Android market experiment with folding phones for years, which means it now has the luxury — and the problem — of arriving late. Simply producing a competent folding phone isn't enough at this point. I want to see what Apple thinks it can do differently, particularly with the software.
The second is battery life on the Pro Max. Smartphone performance has reached the point where most people aren't going to notice another incremental processor gain in everyday use. A meaningful jump in battery life is different. If the combination of a larger battery, 2nm silicon and display improvements gives us a Pro Max that can comfortably survive even the heaviest days, that's something people will actually feel.
The third is the missing iPhone 18. If Apple really does split its iPhone launches between autumn and spring, that changes the rhythm of the entire range. It also makes this September event unusually premium, with the Pro models and foldable potentially taking the whole spotlight.
None of those things is confirmed yet, which is exactly why Wednesday should be interesting.
We'll Be Updating This Page Live on September 9
This is the pre-event version of this article, but it isn't where we're leaving it.
We'll update the page again if anything significant emerges before Wednesday, and then once Apple's event begins we'll turn it into our live record of what actually happens. As each product is announced, we'll update the relevant sections with the confirmed specifications and make it clear which of the major rumours were accurate, partly accurate, wrong or simply weren't addressed.
After the keynote, we'll also be publishing separate coverage of the products Apple actually announces, including the details that only become useful once we've had a chance to look beyond Apple's presentation and work out what the changes mean in practice.
For now, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max look like the safest bets, Apple's first foldable looks more plausible than it ever has, and the absence of the regular iPhone 18 could turn out to be one of the biggest stories of the whole launch.
We'll find out on Wednesday.
