Table of Contents
Apple’s biggest product launch of the year is just hours away — and this one could look very different from the usual September iPhone event.
Apple’s “Surprise and shine” event begins at 9 pm UAE time tonight, September 9, and the company is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone alongside new iPhone Pro models, Apple Watches, and AirPods.
Get it: Fast, verified news for FREE … download the Gulf News app — simply click here
Apple, as usual, has not revealed what it will launch. But reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Reuters and established Apple-focused publications have produced an unusually clear picture ahead of the event.
The biggest last-minute development is the reported name of Apple’s foldable: iPhone Duo.
Here are the six products most likely to appear tonight — ranked by how strong the evidence is.
1. iPhone Duo
This is the one to watch.
After years of rumours about a folding iPhone, Apple is widely expected to unveil its first foldable smartphone tonight.
Reuters reports that Apple is expected to introduce the device at the event, while Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has now reported that it will be called the iPhone Duo.
The reported price is equally striking.
Gurman says the Duo will start at around $2,000 for 256GB, rising to roughly $3,000 with 2TB of storage. It could go on sale as early as October in white and dark blue.
The phone is expected to unfold into a larger, tablet-like display and support two iPhone apps side by side, iPad-style multitasking and Apple Pencil input.
That would make the Duo more than simply an iPhone with a folding screen.
Apple is entering the foldable market years after rivals such as Samsung, Google and Huawei, giving it time to address some of the category’s biggest problems, including display creases, hinge durability and device thickness.
Reuters cited analysts who believe Apple’s arrival could significantly expand what has so far remained a relatively niche premium smartphone category.
Verdict: Very likely.
2. iPhone 18 Pro
A foldable may get the attention, but the iPhone 18 Pro remains Apple’s core flagship.
The overall appearance is expected to remain similar to the iPhone 17 Pro rather than undergo a major redesign.
More meaningful changes are expected inside.
Reports point to Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, a smaller, improved Dynamic Island, and a revamped vapour-chamber cooling system.
Bloomberg’s Gurman also reports that the Dynamic Island could display as many as three Live Activities at once, compared with two currently.
Apple is also expected to improve battery life and camera performance, while higher component costs have fuelled speculation that the Pro models could cost more.
Verdict: Almost certain.
3. iPhone 18 Pro Max
The iPhone 18 Pro Max should arrive alongside the smaller Pro, but this year Apple may give its largest iPhone a particularly interesting camera advantage.
Gurman’s latest reporting says the Pro Max will have a mechanical aperture, though the feature may not appear on the smaller Pro.
A variable aperture physically changes how much light enters the camera, potentially giving photographers more control over exposure and depth of field.
The Pro Max is also rumoured to become slightly thicker to accommodate a larger battery.
That combination could make Apple’s biggest conventional iPhone the model aimed most aggressively at photographers — while the Duo becomes the showcase for Apple’s new form factor.
Verdict: Almost certain.
4. Apple Watch Series 12
The Apple Watch is also expected to receive its annual update tonight.
Don’t expect a dramatic redesign.
Bloomberg reports that Apple could instead revive a premium material it hasn’t used for several years: ceramic.
The Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to get a faster processor, new case and band options, and improved health and fitness tracking.
Apple has also reportedly been testing continuous heart-rate collection that could feed into new wellness features in the Health app.
Whether every health feature under development makes tonight’s announcement remains uncertain, however.
Verdict: Very likely.
5. Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple’s rugged smartwatch is also expected to return.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 should get the new processor expected in Series 12, plus related health and fitness improvements.
More intriguing are reports that Apple could expand its satellite capabilities.
Rumoured features include accessing Apple Maps via satellite and potentially sending or receiving photos through Messages when conventional mobile or Wi-Fi connectivity isn’t available.
The external design, however, is expected to remain broadly familiar.
Verdict: Very likely.
6. AirPods 5
AirPods 5 have become a stronger bet in the final run-up to the event.
References to AirPods 5 were discovered in Apple’s macOS 26.7 release candidate, while Gurman’s latest reporting says the earbuds are slated to be introduced today.
Apple is reportedly preparing versions with and without a wireless charging case, with significantly improved noise cancellation among the expected upgrades.
An updated audio chip has also been rumoured, although that is less firmly established.
One thing apparently isn’t coming tonight: AirPods with built-in cameras.
Apple has reportedly been developing camera-equipped AirPods as part of its broader AI and wearable ambitions, but Gurman says those have been pushed into 2027.
Verdict: Likely.
What probably won’t launch: iPhone 18
One of the most interesting things about tonight’s event could be the iPhone that isn’t there.
Apple is not expected to unveil the regular iPhone 18 alongside its Pro siblings.
Multiple reports say Apple is changing its traditional annual iPhone release cycle, with the standard iPhone 18 instead expected in spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e and an updated iPhone Air.
If correct, tonight’s smartphone lineup would be unusually premium-heavy: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the foldable iPhone Duo.
It would also mark a major change to the rhythm Apple has followed for years, spreading its biggest iPhone launches across different parts of the year.
One final sign: Apple Store goes offline
Another familiar sign suggests new hardware is imminent.
Apple’s online store went offline ahead of tonight’s presentation, displaying its usual pre-event holding page.
Apple routinely takes the store down before major hardware announcements so it can update product pages, configurations and prices when new devices are revealed.
It doesn’t confirm which products are coming.
For that, we’ll have to wait until 9 pm UAE time.
But after years of incremental changes to the familiar rectangular iPhone, the biggest question tonight isn’t how much faster Apple’s next phone will be.
It’s whether Apple is finally about to change the iPhone’s shape.
