Apple “Surprise and Shine” LIVE — iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, and all the latest news
The iPhone's entering a new era
The wait is almost over. With Apple’s "Surprise and Shine" event on September 9 fast approaching, anticipation surrounding Cupertino’s annual fall showcase has reached a fever pitch — and for good reason. It could mark the dawn of a new era, as Apple may finally be ready to pull back the curtain on its most dramatic hardware pivot in a decade: its long-awaited entrance into the foldable market.
If the speculation holds true, the spotlight won’t just fall on the powerhouse iPhone 18 Pro Max or the refined Apple Watch Series 12. The real showstopper could be the debut of an ultra-premium iPhone Ultra — Apple’s highly anticipated notebook-style foldable.
Between next-generation Apple silicon, a potential form-factor revolution, and more Apple Intelligence features, this year's event has all the makings of a pivotal moment for the company, especially with John Ternus officially taking the helm from long-time Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Here’s everything we expect to be revealed at Apple’s event.
How to watch Apple “Surprise and Shine” event
You can stay up to date with the latest announcements from Apple’s September hardware event by tuning in to the official livestream, accessible directly via a browser on Apple's website. Alternatively, you can catch the stream through Apple's official YouTube channel, the Apple TV app or embedded below.
Biggest expected announcements
True to tradition, this should be a major hardware showcase for Apple, with the heaviest emphasis placed on its iPhone lineup. Beyond phones, the event will expand into Apple’s wider product ecosystem — including AirPods and Apple Watch updates, both mainstays of the September keynote. We're also likely to get official release details on Apple's upcoming software platform updates such as iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and more.
- iPhone 18 Pro & iPhone 18 Pro Max: Apple’s next-generation flagship Pro phones are tipped to feature a powerful 2nm A20 Pro chip, smaller Dynamic Island cutouts, larger batteries, and exclusive camera enhancements like a variable aperture on the Pro Max.
- iPhone Ultra: Apple’s first foldable smartphone is expected to debut with an ultra-thin, book-style folding design, a 7.8-inch inner display, Touch ID integration, and a premium price tag.
- Apple Watch Series 12: Apple's core smartwatch update is expected to introduce new health-tracking capabilities, display size revisions, and refined internal hardware.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: The latest iteration of Apple’s outdoor-focused wearable is anticipated to deliver enhanced satellite connectivity, expanded battery life, and upgraded sensors.
- AirPods 5: These aren't the camera-equipped AirPods Ultra, those aren't likely to arrive until next year. Instead Apple is expected to reveal an upgraded version of the standard AirPods, with a few upgrades and a design similar to that of AirPods 4. Expect Siri AI to play a huge part in the upgraded featureset.
- HomePad: This rumored smart-home command center is expected to feature an iPad mini-sized touchscreen, a FaceTime camera, and presence sensors for automated room routines.
- HomePod mini 2: Long overdue for a refresh, this compact speaker is expected to bring internal audio upgrades and faster processing for on-device Siri commands.
This could be a big week for Apple-powered smart homes
Surprise and shine also has the potential to be a big event for Apple's smart home ambitions. Now that the long-delayed Siri AI is available in beta, it means that Apple might finally unveil the long-awaited smart home hub — tentatively called HomePad or HomePod Home Hub.
Rumors suggest that this device has been ready for a while, but Siri was holding everything up. It's also expected to be a hybrid of an iPad and a HomePod speaker, hence the name HomePad.
Other potential offerings include an updated HomePod mini 2, and an updated version of the Apple TV 4K.. It's less clear what these devices might offer, but expect them to link in with Siri AI and allow better voice control in the process. Oh, and the Apple TV 4K may come with its own smart home hub capabilities, and a camera for making Facetime calls without the aid of a separate iPhone or iPad.
Two new Apple Watches are on the way
We don't know as much about the upcoming Apple Watches, but we do expect Apple Watch series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 to make their debut at Surprise and shine.
Leaks have been surprisingly sparse this year, but we have heard that Apple may shake things up with a brand new kind of band attachment. This means that your old Apple Watch bands may not be compatible with the new wearables, and vice versa. There are also rumors that Apple may bring back the ceramic case option, for those that want something more premium-feeling than metal.
It's safe to assume that Apple will also add new AI features, including an updated Workout Buddy, and improved health tracking support. It's also likely that Siri Ai is going to play a big role in the new software, following its debut in the iOS 27 beta.
Expect new AirPods, but not AirPods Ultra
Apple is reportedly going to unveil new AirPods at the Surprise and shine event, but these will not be the camera-equipped AirPods Ultra. Instead we're expecting to get the AirPods 5, which should offer a small upgrade over the AirPods 4.
What kind of upgrades? The main focus will likely be the H3 chip, which should allow for better voice isolation during calls, improved active noise cancellation (on buds that support it) and enhanced spatial audio capabilities. It's also been speculated that the buds could feature a temperature sensor, which can be used to gather health data — though not on the same level as the Apple Watch.
It's also likely that Siri AI support will play into Apple's marketing, though I don't expect any new features to be exclusive to the AirPods 5. Especially since Siri AI features in iOS 27 are already confirmed to support AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3 and Airpods Pro 2.
What about the iPhone 18?
The biggest question many people may have about this event is whether or not the iPhone 18 is going to show up. Probably not, is the answer, since Apple is reportedly changing things up with its release schedule this year. Rather than releasing five new iPhones at once, Apple is limiting this event to just three: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Ultra.
The standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 are expected to arrive in early 2027, likely around the same time as the iPhone 18e. I personally think this is a strange decision, and releasing the iPhone 18 alongside its low-cost counterpart is a little bizarre. That, and the fact that the fall release will seemingly lack a sub-$1,000 device.
So those of you rocking an older iPhone that were hoping to upgrade will need to wait a few more months unless you want to fork out some extra cash for a Pro model.
But what about the iPhone 18 Pro?
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are going to be the devices most people consider buying, and they're the ones that we're all familiar with. The basic gist is that they are newly-upgraded iPhones designed to replace the iPhone 17 Pro series — complete with all the new features that such phones should come with.
So far rumors suggest we'll see bigger batteries, the new A20 Pro chipset built on the 2nm process, Apple's C2 modem and possibly even under-display Face ID. The new chips promise improved performance and energy efficiency, which should help bolster the already-exceptional battery life Pro-tier iPhones enjoy.
Don't expect any big camera hardware upgrades, though the Pro Max may be getting a new variable aperture lens that lets you adjust how much light actually enters the camera. Which could be very helpful for low light, adjusting depth of field or generally experimenting with taking different kinds of photos.
What we know about the foldable iPhone Ultra
The iPhone Ultra is set to be the headline feature of the Surprise and shine event, for the simple fact that it's going to be Apple's first ever foldable. That said, the cost of ownership is apparently going to be quite high, possibly as high as $2,500 — which puts the phone well out of reach of a lot of buyers.
The phone itself is set to be super thin, measuring just 4.5mm when unfolded, and features a large 7.8-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. That's the same as an iPad, and the screen itself is only half an inch smaller than the iPad mini 7. Apple's also been very particular about the display crease, putting a lot of effort into the design and manufacturing in order to apparently remove the crease entirely.
Of course the thin foldable does come with some drawbacks beyond its high price tag. It's only coming with two main cameras, completely ditching the telephoto lens, and reportedly won't feature Face ID. Instead Apple is rumored to be adding a Touch ID power button, similar to those found on iPads. Don't expect an Apple Pencil either, because Apple apparently abandoned that idea fairly early on.
