Staff Reporter | NUPIAO
Apple’s fall new product launch event, slated for early September, will be the first major hardware showcase under the company’s new CEO, John Ternus, who has taken over the reins from Tim Cook. At this event, the iPhone release rhythm that has held for over a decade might be rewritten, with the foldable iPhone and the new Pro models set to make a collective debut. The market is closely watching Apple’s ability to break new ground in AI and hardware form factors.
Previously, renowned tech journalist Mark Gurman noted, “Based on historical records, the most likely release dates for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra are September 8 or September 9. But since Labor Day falls on September 7, Apple might prefer a travel gap day, which would be September 9.”
The most anticipated product of the entire event for both the industry and consumers is Apple’s first-ever foldable screen phone, speculated to be named the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold. The Android camp has been developing foldable devices for years, and Apple’s delayed entry has only heightened the market’s expectations for this product.
Multiple leaks suggest the device will feature a 5.3-inch external screen with a book-style design, unfolding to a 7.6-inch internal display, resembling an iPad mini in appearance. When fully unfolded, this new foldable phone is just 4.5 mm thick. It’s reported that Apple has employed advanced display technology and a highly durable hinge, virtually eliminating the screen crease. The device is expected to run on the A20 chip, feature dual rear cameras, and integrate Touch ID into the power button on the side frame, rather than using Face ID.
In his latest research note, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities stated that Apple has recently significantly raised its shipment forecasts for the foldable iPhone, increasing 2026 projections to 8-10 million units and 2027 projections to 20-25 million units. Previous estimates were 6-8 million and 10-15 million, respectively.
In late June, supply chain sources revealed that Apple has finalized the key specifications for the foldable iPhone, including the display, enclosure, and mechanical components, and is set to begin mass production of its first foldable iPhone in late July.
According to Gurman’s predictions, due to shortages in memory chips and main processor components, the starting price for the foldable iPhone could reach at least $2,000 (approximately RMB 13,507), or even higher.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are equally worthy of attention. Departing from the usual pattern of releasing a standard digital series model, the iPhone 18 is likely not to appear at this fall event, but rather be postponed to a spring 2027 launch. The September event will focus solely on the high-end Pro lineup.
The iPhone 18 Pro series includes two models: a 6.3-inch Pro and a 6.9-inch Pro Max. At its core, it will be powered by the A20 Pro chip (2nm process), offering significant performance and energy efficiency improvements, complemented by Apple’s self-developed C2 baseband with support for 5G satellite communication.
On the display front, the Dynamic Island is narrowed by 35%, resulting in a higher screen-to-body ratio and a peak brightness of 2600 nits. For imaging, the main camera introduces a physical variable aperture for the first time (f/1.4-f/4.0), both the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are 48MP, and the Pro Max is equipped with a 6x optical periscope telephoto lens. Additionally, the iPhone 18 Pro series introduces new color options like Deep Cherry Red, and the Pro Max battery exceeds 5000mAh for improved battery life.
Like the foldable iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro also faces pricing pressures. Gurman suggests that iPhones are expected to see a price increase of $100 to $200 (approximately RMB 675 to RMB 1,350).
During Apple’s Q3 FY2026 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook mentioned that storage chip prices continue to rise and the company is evaluating all countermeasures. He described the current memory price environment as a “once-in-a-century flood” and noted prices have risen exponentially.
Beyond phones, the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are also highlights not to be missed at this event. The market expects no major design changes for the Apple Watch Series 12, with key performance improvements stemming from the S12 chip, which better supports on-device AI computing. In terms of health feature iterations, the new model is expected to optimize sleep staging algorithms and cardiovascular risk assessment, but it won’t include medical-grade blood pressure measurement hardware, offering only risk alert algorithms.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will continue to enhance outdoor battery life and screen specifications. Given rising material costs for wearables, a price adjustment for the watch is also a possibility.
The next-generation AirPods Pro are unlikely to appear at the September event, as the update window for the headphone product line has been pushed to 2027.
There are also reports that the HomePod mini 2 has completed its hardware preparations. It will feature an upgraded S-series chip based on the Apple Watch Series 10, and new color options are expected as well.
Apple also plans to launch a home hub device that supports smart home products, plays music, makes video calls, checks weather, retrieves information via Siri, displays photos, takes notes, and views calendar events, among other functions. This home hub features a full-screen design with a 7-inch display similar to the iPad. There are two models: one designed for wall mounting and another with a speaker base that looks similar to the HomePod mini.
The new Apple TV will come equipped with Apple’s self-developed new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, along with a more powerful A17 Pro processor, adding support for console-level gaming and Apple Intelligence. No changes are expected to its external design.
This launch event is also a window for the outside world to closely observe Ternus’s management philosophy. During the Cook era, Apple excelled at stable operations, continuously thickening profit margins through its supply chain and services business, but faced controversy over breakthrough hardware forms and the pace of AI iteration.
Ternus comes from a hardware engineering background and has led the transitions to Apple’s self-developed chips for the iPhone, AirPods, and Mac. The market broadly expects him to push Apple to take bigger strides in hardware innovation. Whether the foldable screen delivers a satisfactory answer, the large-scale implementation of the self-developed baseband, and the actual experience of AI features will serve as three benchmarks for evaluating this year’s event.
