Updated September 4
• Here's what you need to know about the new Apple HomePad
• The iPhone Ultra price could be even higher than you expect
• Our iPhone Ultra preview interview has all the details you need to know
• Unboxing video gives us our best look at iPhone 18 Pro Max and Ultra
• "Surprise and shine" event officially set for Wednesday, September 9
Apple's huge "Surprise and Shine" is just a few days away and new CEO John Ternus' first major event promises to be a big one. And now we have a fairly clear picture of what the company should announce.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has dropped a massive report that outlines everything Apple should release over the next year. And we expect 9 of those new devices to come at the Apple September event, including Apple's first foldable phone in the iPhone Ultra.
We've got a full breakdown of the devices likely headed your way, from the iPhone 18 Pro series and Apple Watch 12 to a new HomePad.
When is the Apple event?
Apple has slated its "Surprise and shine" event for Wednesday, September 9 at Apple Park. Typically, Apple would hold its event on a Tuesday, but this year it's running into Labor Day, meaning it's being pushed to Wednesday.
This has happened before and Apple's reasoning has been that the company doesn't want to ask attendees to travel on the holiday weekend. As an example, the iPhone 14 launched on Wednesday, September 7, following Labor Day on Monday 5.
The event is set to take place at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST and will be livestreamed on various social media platforms as well as Apple's own site.
iPhones generally go up for pre-order the Friday following the Apple event, but this year that's September 11. Gurman has reported that pre-orders will be pushed to Saturday, September 12.
New CEO John Ternus is expected to host the monster event, and his tenure appears ready to start with a bang.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
This year, we believe that Apple will only launch the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. The entry-level iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Plus reportedly won't debut until next spring alongside the iPhone 18e.
The design of the Pro models should look similar to last year's iPhone 17 Pro models. However, the Dynamic Island should be smaller, with a 24MP selfie camera. Rumors suggest the Pro Max model will exclusively have a new variable aperture lens, but it's not clear if that will come to the iPhone 18 Pro. The Pro Max might also have a longer 6x zoom.
Both models should feature Apple's new 2nm A20 Pro chip and a new C2 modem. A recent leak suggests the A20 Pro could feature the largest ever GPU inside an iPhone, meaning better, more efficient performance.
For more, see our iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max comparison.
Unfortunately, analysts have predicted that the new iPhone 18 Pro models could cost between $200 and $250 more than the iPhone 17 Pro family.
iPhone Ultra
The biggest announcement of the Apple event is sure to be the debut of the foldable iPhone Ultra.
An unboxing video from this week revealed a squat passport shape similar to the new Galaxy Z Fold 8, with a 7.8-inch foldable display and a 5.5-inch cover screen. Apple has allegedly made a crease-free display, one of the hangs up that stopped the company from making a foldable until now.
The Ultra could measure between 4.5 and 4.8mm when unfolded, making it one of the thinnest iPhones ever.
Inside, the Ultra would also feature the A20 Pro chipset and Apple's in-house C2 modem, plus a Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the power button in lieu of Face ID. It's supposed to feature a fairly larger 4,883 mAh battery.
The rear panel should house two 48MP cameras horizontally positioned (wide and ultrawide) and two separate 24MP selfie cameras — one for the cover display and one for the interior screen.
Apple reportedly delayed releasing a folding iPhone until it could eliminate the crease in the display, but whether it's accomplished this remains to be seen. Even Samsung and Oppo, despite their long lead time, have only had moderate success.
One downside is that the iPhone Ultra price could be very expensive, costing anywhere from $2,000 to 2,500. And a recent leak suggests that iPhone Ultra may not be immediately available, with only "extremely limited" availability.
Just keep in mind that the iPhone Ultra could have a number of trade-offs versus the iPhone 18 Pro, including the lack of a telephoto zoom.
AirPods 5
The rumor mill has been excitedly leaking information about the AirPods Ultra, which could feature a camera that will feed into Siri to allow it to "see" the world. But according to a Mark Gurman report, we aren't expecting the AirPods Ultra until 2027 at the earliest.
Instead, we should get a slightly upgraded pair of AirPods 5. AppleTrack claims the design will be similar to the current AirPods 4.
Only two real upgrades have been suggested, including a better chip, volume control on the buds and a heart sensor similar to the Pro models.
From a software side, the new AirPods 5 will likely take advantage of the more powerful Siri AI releasing this fall, though what features it gets remains to be seen.
Apple Watch 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4
Similar to the AirPods, the leakers have been fairly quiet about the next Apple Watches. We are expecting to see the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4.
The designs shouldn't change too much, though Apple might offer a ceramic case option for the new watches. The biggest change might be a new kind of band attachment. This does mean that your old bands might not be compatible with the new watches.
AppleTrack suggests Apple will put a new S12 chip in the watches with a focus on speed and battery life, though exactly how fast and how much better was not revealed.
Both watches should get new health and fitness features. We already know that watchOS 27 will bring new AI features, an updated Workout Buddy and more useful data tracking. Plus, it should feature better integration with the upgraded Siri AI, which we've already seen in the iOS 27 beta.
Apple TV 4K
Apple hasn't released a new version of the Apple TV 4K since 2022. We're long overdue for an upgrade — even if it's only a more powerful chip for stronger performance.
Like everything else this year, don't expect new designs. It should look similar to older editions. Rumors have repeatedly suggested that the streaming box will feature the A17 Pro chip — the same as in the iPhone 15 Pro models. It should also get the in-house N1 chip for better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Outside of chips, the big upgrade would be Siri AI, which could let you connect the Apple TV as a hub for smart devices. One rumor suggested that Apple might release a set-top box with a camera, which would allow for FaceTime calls and gesture-based controls.
AppleTrack suggests that the new Apple TV will be expensive, possibly costlier than the current edition, which is currently priced at $199 and $179 after price hikes this summer.
Smart Home
Since Apple Intelligence was introduced in 2024, rumors and leaks have hinted at Apple's ambitious plans to create a suite of smart home devices, and it all starts with revamped HomePods. The problem has been a lack of a viable AI-powered Siri, which will finally come to fruition thanks to iOS 27.
If it actually releases and works as pitched, this year could actually be the start of Apple Home.
HomePad Home hub
The totally redesigned HomePod would likely get a new name, the HomePad, because it's functionally an iPad stapled to a HomePod speaker.
Several different iterations of this device have been rumored, including one with a $1,000 robot arm. Currently, rumors claim it will launch in two versions: the iPad/speaker and a wall-mounted touchpad similar to the Google Nest Hub or Amazon's Echo Show 8.
The system would run a new HomeOS, based on watchOS. It could have a FaceTime camera for video calls and presence sensors to initiate smart home routines. The camera might enable face recognition that would display personalized displays based on the user.
For more check out our HomePad rumor roundup.
HomePod mini 2
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, long a reporter of the rumored HomePod updates, believes that a new HomePod mini could launch this September alongside the rumored HomePod Home hub.
A new HomePod mini might debut, but it probably won't be as big of an upgrade as the Hub. Most rumors suggest that it will feature a new chip and audio improvements. The current version debuted in 2020, and like the Apple TV 4K, is long overdue for an update.
Like the HomePad, it will use Siri AI to run smart home routines, though only through voice commands.
Apple's future products
While the Surprise and Shine event will take the headlines next week, Gurman's report reveals a total of 41 devices that Apple could launch over the next three years.
This includes everything from an OLED iPad mini and M6 Macs to a MacBook Neo refresh and the iPhone Air 2. There is even speculation on devices that could launch in 2028 and beyond. We'll get into all that elsewhere but for now, here's what should round out the year.
Other Apple devices slated for 2026
Outside of new M6 chips, the big updates on this list are all about adding OLED to Apple's Mac lineup. If Apple sticks with its usual schedule, these will launch around October, maybe early November at the latest.
- iPad mini with OLED screen: Outside of chips, the iPad mini has retained the same design since 2021. An OLED display would be one of the biggest updates in years. It should making gaming, watching media and general tasks more enjoyable. Though with everything getting more expensive don't expect the same $599 price tag.
- M6 iMac refresh: We've already seen the M6 chipset in action with the announced M6 Mac mini, which proved efficient. The iMac should get a similar update this fall.
- M6 14-inch MacBook Pro refresh: Like the iMac, we're only expecting a chip update from the M5 to the M6, but it should prove powerful.
- First MacBooks with touch display and OLED: Like the iPad mini, MacBooks might finally get a touch display and OLED panel this year. However, it will likely feature the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors, not the M6. Additionally, it might get a new name, MacBook Ultra, and a higher price tag.
Will you be tuning in to Apple's event? Let me know which device you're most hyped for in the comments.
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