Apple held its annual September hardware event, titled Surprise and Shine, at Apple Park in Cupertino, bringing together two major storylines under one keynote. The event served as the venue for the unveiling of the company’s first ever foldable iPhone, while also marking the first major public appearance by John Ternus in his new role as chief executive, following Tim Cook’s transition to executive chairman after fifteen years leading the company.
The centerpiece of the event was Apple’s long anticipated foldable device, expected to carry the name iPhone Duo after months of speculation around alternative names including iPhone Ultra and iPhone Fold. The device was expected to feature a compact outer display of around 5.5 inches alongside a larger internal screen of approximately 7.8 inches once unfolded, giving it a book style form factor positioned closer to a small tablet than a traditional smartphone. Reports ahead of the event pointed to support for the Apple Pencil, a magnetic hinge system, and a dual camera setup featuring 48 megapixel and 12 megapixel sensors, with pricing expected to start above 2,000 dollars for the base storage option and climb toward 3,000 dollars for the highest capacity configuration. The foldable arrives several years after Samsung and Huawei introduced similar devices, with industry analysts at IDC projecting that Apple could still capture a substantial share of the global foldable smartphone market within the next year despite its later entry into the category, citing strong brand demand as a key factor.
Alongside the foldable, Apple was expected to introduce updated iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, carrying a comparatively modest price increase of around 100 dollars over the previous generation, along with a smaller and more functional Dynamic Island, an upgraded vapor chamber cooling system, and new camera hardware that may include variable aperture capability. The event also brought updated wearables in the form of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, alongside a new generation of AirPods, with some reports pointing to an AI powered feature called Recaps designed to run within the Siri app and provide periodic summaries of a user’s daily activity. Apple was also expected to confirm release timelines for its next generation of software updates across its device lineup, continuing a pattern from previous years where these updates typically follow the September announcement within a matter of days.
Beyond the products themselves, the event carried added weight as Ternus stepped into the spotlight for the first time since assuming the chief executive role on September 1. Ternus, a longtime Apple hardware engineer who joined the company in 2001, has spent much of his career working on product lines including the iPad and AirPods, though he had maintained a comparatively low public profile prior to taking on the top leadership position. Analysts described the event as an early test of how Ternus intends to balance the operational discipline associated with the Cook era against growing pressure to demonstrate a clear direction in hardware and artificial intelligence, particularly as competitors continue to push forward with AI integration across their own device lineups. How the foldable iPhone performs commercially, alongside how Ternus is received in his expanded public role, is expected to shape early perceptions of Apple’s direction heading into its next phase as a company valued at several trillion dollars.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
