Apple is about to hold what might be its biggest product launch ever.
The company will reveal a whole new design for its most popular ever product, the iPhone, that will allow it to fold in half. That device, rumoured to be named the iPhone Ultra or Duo, has been years in the making and is rumoured to cost over $2,000.
Alongside its first folding phone, Apple will also launch an iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, updates to the AirPods – and its new chief executive. It will be the first keynote hosted by new boss John Ternus since he took over as the head of the company at the start of September.
But it is the new device that is expected to take up much of Apple’s time, offering a glimpse at the future of the product that will decide the company’s future.
The event kicks off at 10am local pacific time, or 6pm in the UK. It will be live-streamed online but you can follow all the latest below.
Key Points
- When and how to watch the keynote
- What to know about Apple's first foldable phone
- Everything Apple will – and won't – launch
- Event also marks debut for company's new CEO
'Nobody wants a stylus'
17:20 , Anthony Cuthbertson“Who wants a stylus?” Steve Jobs famously asked at the unveiling of the first iPhone. “You have to get them and put them away and you lose them... Yuk. Nobody wants a stylus.”
Despite launching a very stylus-like Apple Pencil in 2015, Apple has kept it well away from its phone lineup - until now. The new foldable iPhone, being referred to as the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Duo, will apparently be the first to support the Apple Pencil, allowing you to draw and doodle on the device.
Any surprises at Apple's Surprise and Shine event?
17:12 , Anthony CuthbertsonThere’s less than an hour to go now until things get underway at Apple Park. Named ‘Surprise and shine’, the event might not have too many surprises in store given the amount of leaks and rumours that have circulated in the build-up.
There may even be less products unveiled than expected, with serial leaker Mark Gurman warning that the rumoured touchscreen MacBook, Apple TV 4K and HomePad smart home hub potentially being delayed. “Don’t worry,” he tweeted, “it’s only September.”
Gurman has previously reported that Apple is building an AI robot, which would be a surprise - but apparently we’ll have to wait until 2027 to see it.
IF you don't see the Apple TV, HomePod mini, home display and touch MacBook today, don't worry. It's only September.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 9, 2026
Apple Watch will use microphones and sensors to recap your day
15:58 , Andrew GriffinMuch of the focus is naturally on Apple’s foldable phone today. But there’s plenty of other products rumoured: a new iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods and updated Apple Watches.
The latter will include a new feature that relies on sensors in the Watch, including a microphone and location data, to generate an AI recap of what you have been up to at the end of the day, according to a late report from Bloomberg.
As well as letting people look back at what they’ve been up to, that data will presumably feed into the new Siri, which will be launched this September alongside the new phones. It’s easy to imagine a world where you can ask what restaurant you had a given conversation in, for instance.
Of course, this will all be done with Apple’s firm commitment to privacy. Users will opt in, the recordings won’t be stored, and the data will be processed on the device.
Some of this might also be an early hint at what Apple has planned for its other wearables, including rumoured AirPods with cameras and eventually smart glasses. Presumably, the ability to see what is happening would provide even more rich data for those memories.
(It’s also likely to kick off another wave of concern about always-listening and always-watching devices, especially given the concern about Meta’s smart glasses. Apple is alert to those concerns, and is reportedly hoping that it’s deep commitment to privacy will help allay them, though the controversy around the Meta glasses may already have changed what Apple has planned for its own.)
Will Apple change up today's event?
15:51 , Andrew GriffinThere have been a host of rumours about possible changes to the keynote itself, this year. Over the summer, for instance, some reports suggested that Apple could return to a live event, which it hasn’t done since before the pandemic. (Other reports then suggested it wouldn’t.)
It does seem likely that Apple will switch it up a little bit: it has a new chief executive, and will want to make a splash for its new foldable device. But a fully live event is likely a risk, and a reduction in spectacle, that might not make it worth it given that almost all of the audience is watching online anyway.
We’ll find out in a couple of hours. And we’ll be reporting from the ground in Apple’s Steve Jobs Theater, whatever happens.
Apple Store goes down ahead of event
15:46 , Andrew GriffinThe Apple Store has gone down ahead of today’s event. Anyone trying to buy anything, including an iPhone, will see a message telling them it’ll be back soon, and encouraging them to watch the event instead.
Apple usually takes the store offline ahead of big new reveals. Once it was though that was a technical necessity; nowadays, it’s not clear how much of it is requires versus using it to build anticipation. (I suppose it also helps avoid the problem of people buying an iPhone that goes out of date before it even arrives at their house.)
When will the keynote start?
15:40 , Andrew GriffinEverything kicks off at 10am local pacific time, or 6pm in the UK. It’s not clear exactly how long it will last, but it’s usually one or two hours.
Apple livestreams the event on a number of platforms, but YouTube tends to be the simplest, and also lets you set a reminder for when the event starts. You can find the video on Apple’s official channel, here.
New Apple CEO teases new iPhone
14:30 , Anthony CuthbertsonFor the past decade or so, it’s been customary for the CEO of Apple to post on Twitter/X in the hours before the company’s big September event.
John Ternus is new to the job but he’s keeping up with tradition with his own tweet teasing today’s iPhone launch.
It shows a spotlight panning down on what appears to be a phone camera. Could be a hint that there will be a big focus on the camera, which is set to have a variable aperture for the first time.
— John Ternus (@johnternus) September 9, 2026
What to know about Apple's first foldable phone
14:22 , Anthony CuthbertsonWhether it’s called the iPhone Ultra or the iPhone Duo, what’s almost certain is that Apple is about to unveil its first ever foldable phone. It comes seven years after Samsung released the Galaxy Fold, but the delay could help it avoid some of the issues that initially plagued its Korean rival.
Over at IndyBest, Alex Lee has taken a closer look at what to expect from the new device, which include an almost-square display and similar dimensions to the iPhone 13 mini when shut.
You can read it here.
Exclusive First Dummies of what the final size of the iPhone Fold, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will look like. pic.twitter.com/X9P9uBK12p
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) April 7, 2026
iPhone 17 prices tumble ahead of new lineup launch
14:05 , Anthony CuthbertsonThe launch of a new iPhone is usually the best time of the year to buy an old iPhone, with the arrival of a fresh flagship forcing retailers to adjust the prices of older models.
The iPhone 17 Pro has already dropped by £100 at various retailers, but rather than trawl through all the offers you can just check out our round-up of all the best discounts right now.
Retailers are slashing the price of iPhone 17 Pro as new model launches this week
How to watch today's 'Surprise and shine' Apple event
13:47 , Anthony CuthbertsonToday’s Apple event is set to kick off at 10am local time, which will be 1pm if you’re on the east coast, or 6pm if you’re in the UK.
The ‘Surprise and shine’ event will be live streamed on the Apple TV app, as well as Apple’s official YouTube channel.
You can watch it here.
Most expensive iPhone ever could rise in price
13:07 , Anthony CuthbertsonThe staggering price of the foldable iPhone may actually seem relatively modest in a few months, if recent trends continue.
The AI boom is causing 'chipflation', meaning gadgets are actually increasing in price after their launch. Apple has already announced price increases for existing products, including its Macs and iPads, and the new iPhones launching later may suffer the same fate.
Will 'iPhone Duo' be most expensive iPhone ever?
12:52 , Anthony CuthbertsonIf the rumours are to be believed, the foldable iPhone will be the most expensive smartphone Apple has ever released. Reports suggest the base model will start at around $2,000, with the top-end device reaching towards $3,000.
For context, the previous high-water mark for a top-tier iPhone was the iPhone 17 Pro Max with a 2TB storage option that cost $1,999.
Even if you have the money, it might still be difficult to buy the foldable phone due to supply issues.
Apple to unveil foldable ‘iPhone Duo’ in biggest redesign ever – but there’s a catch
Everything to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro
10:40 , Anthony CuthbertsonIt’s not just a foldable phone that Apple is unveiling today. The latest flagship, expected to be called the iPhone 18 Pro, will also get a showing.
Most major upgrades have focused on the camera in recent years, and 2026 looks like it will be no different.
Expected to receive the biggest camera upgrade ever, the iPhone 18 Pro is heavily tipped to introduce variable aperture for the first time, with the DSLR-like feature giving photographers more control over depth of field and background blur.
You can read all about it here:
Apple will launch iPhone 18 Pro today – here’s everything to expect
John Ternus's debut
06:01 , Andrew GriffinNew Apple chief executive John Ternus will be leading the keynote for the first ever time, after taking over at the start of September. He’s appeared in plenty of them before, and the handover has been long-planned and well-managed, but it still marks a decisive moment in his taking control of the company from Tim Cook.
It might be the first time we really get to see who he is. And it might bring with it other changes in the event itself – some rumours had suggested that Apple could return to a live format for the event, though those have got much quieter recently.
Home products on their way?
05:59 , Andrew GriffinSome rumours have suggested that Apple has been working on a load of different home devices – special screens that can stay in one place and work something like a combination of an iPad and a HomePod, for instance, or even more unusual ones such as a home camera system. We might not see them at this September event, but they are expected to be coming soon.
It would make sense with Apple’s keenness to stress its new chief executive John Ternus as being focused heavily on product. What better way would there to be show that than to launch a whole host of new products – even if they’re a little weird?
Everything Apple will – and won't – reveal at its launch event
05:58 , Andrew GriffinThe foldable iPhone will get much of the focus, alongside the new Pro models and updated Apple Watches. But there will be some notable omissions from this September event.
You can read about all of the products coming – and not – here.
What's the new, folding iPhone called?
05:56 , Andrew GriffinRecent rumours have consistently pointed to ‘iPhone Ultra’ as the name of the new foldable device. But a late entry from reliable Apple reporter Mark Gurman suggests it could be called “iPhone Duo”.
The same report also suggests that it will cost $2,000, as rumoured – but that it could have been much more. The price of the memory required for the device has gone up dramatically, but Apple has opted to eat those costs itself to ensure the device’s price does not go up too high, he reported.
Hello and welcome...
05:50 , Andrew Griffin... to The Independent’s live coverage of Apple’s 2026 September event, widely rumoured to be bringing its first ever foldable phone, updated Pro models as well as AirPods and Apple Watches – and a whole new CEO.