After years of rumors, the highly anticipated foldable iPhone is almost here, but that's not all we're expecting to see at next week's big event, and we've got full coverage of expectations for the "Surprise and Shine" event.
Beyond the event, this week also saw John Ternus take over from Tim Cook as Apple CEO, while we learned a bit more about what's coming in iOS 27 and how Apple has been trying to respond to massive demand for its desktop Macs amid the surge in AI computing, so read on below for all of the details!
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iPhone Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro, and More: Apple's September 9 Event Preview
Apple's September event will take place on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. At the event, Apple will announce its 2026 iPhone lineup, and this year is a big one. Along with the slab-style iPhones we've been using for years, Apple is going to debut its first foldable device. We'll also get new Apple Watches, a new set of AirPods, and possibly some other surprises.
Everything we expect to see at the "Surprise and Shine" event is recapped in our event guide and overview video, so make sure to check it out.
Read John Ternus' First Memo to Apple Employees as CEO
This week marked the end of an era, with Tim Cook stepping down as Apple CEO after 15 years and hardware engineering chief John Ternus taking over the reins. Cook will remain active with Apple as Executive Chair.
In his first memo to employees as CEO, Ternus thanked employees for a warm welcome, expressed thanks to Cook for his contributions to Apple and assisting with the transition, and shared excitement about the future including "a huge launch" next week.
iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders May Start at an Unusual Time
Following next Wednesday's event, pre-orders for the new iPhone hardware may start at an unusual time. Pre-orders for the new iPhone models typically start at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time on the Friday immediately following the event, but this year that falls on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
As it did back in 2015 when pre-orders would also have fallen on the 11th, Apple will reportedly push things back this year and begin accepting pre-orders at midnight Pacific Time on Saturday, September 12.
iOS 27 Introduces New 'iPhone Handoff' Feature
Back at WWDC in June, Apple made the briefest of mentions about iOS 27 offering the ability to share a phone number between devices, and now we know how that feature will work.
MacRumors forum member pdfu this week shared a video showing how users will set up the feature, dubbed iPhone Handoff, from the Cellular section of the Settings app. iPhone Handoff will require carrier support, with the user's main eSIM remaining on their primary phone and a companion eSIM being sent to another iPhone. Once activated, a single phone number will be used across both devices, with the phone number automatically switching back and forth to whichever device is unlocked at the moment.
Foldable iPhone Ultra Likely Has MagSafe Charging
In addition to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, next week's event will also see the long-awaited introduction of Apple's first foldable iPhone. The device will sacrifice a few features in order to enable its ultra-thin profile, and until recently it was thought that MagSafe charging might be one of those things.
In a recent interview with Tom's Guide, however, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says "all indications" point toward MagSafe support being included on the phone.
Apple Caught Off Guard by AI Demand for Mac Mini and Mac Studio
Apple's unusually timed announcement of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models last week was driven by unexpectedly strong enterprise appetite for AI hardware, according to The Information. Apple normally releases new Mac models in the fall, closer to October or November, but Apple pulled Mac announcements ahead of the anticipated arrival of new iPhone models as it has sought to meet strong demand for its desktop Macs.
Apple highlighted the Mac mini and Mac Studio's shift toward business buyers back in June, with a "Business at the Park" event involving executives from major companies Ford, Disney, and Anthropic. The Mac mini was said to be the "darling" of the event.
A surge in demand for Mac hardware to run AI models has coincided with the global memory shortage, leaving many Mac mini and Mac Studio configurations out of stock for months and making the new models a priority to allow Apple to offer improved performance and higher production volumes.
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